The United States on Monday questioned Venezuela's need to buy billions of dollars in weapons from Russia and voiced concern that the arms may wind up elsewhere in Latin America. Leftist firebrand President Hugo Chavez last week inked new deals with Russia's visiting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who said later that the total military sales by Venezuela may top five billion dollars.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said that while the two countries had the right to pursue relations, "We're hard-pressed to see what legitimate defence needs Venezuela has for the equipment." "We can probably think of better things that could be invested on behalf of the Venezuelan people," he said.