Venezuela , officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a country on the northern coast of South America. The Capital is Caracas. The President is Hugo Chávez Frías. The Country profile , the CIA Factbook, and the history.
United States-Venezuela relations have traditionally been close, characterized by an important trade and investment relationship and cooperation in combating the production and transit of illegal drugs. However since the election of Presidents Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and George W. Bush of the United States and particularly since the Venezuelan failed coup attempt in 2002 against Chavez; tensions between the countries have escalated.
Since Hugo Chávez was elected President of Venezuela, in 1998, the long-standing close diplomatic relationship between Venezuela and the United States have progressively worsened.
Chávez's public friendship and significant trade relationship with Cuba and Fidel Castro have undermined the U.S. policy of isolating Cuba, and long-running ties between the U.S. and Venezuelan militaries were severed on Chávez's initiative.
Chávez's stance as an OPEC price hawk has raised the price of oil for the United States, as Venezuela pushed OPEC producers towards a higher price, around $25 a barrel.[citation needed] During Venezuela's presidency of OPEC in 2000, Chávez made a ten-day tour of OPEC countries, in the process becoming the first head of state to meet Saddam Hussein since the Gulf War. The visit was controversial at home and in the US, although Chávez did respect the ban on international flights to and from Iraq (he drove from Iran, his previous stop).
But at the 5th Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad from April 17-19, 2009 with 34 countries of the Organisation of American States (OAS) to reintegrate Cuba into the Western Hemisphere , President Obama reached out to Pres. Chavez and they shared a friendly handshake at the start of the Summit. The Venezuelan government called the handshake "historic" and hinted that it was the first step toward thawing the chill between the two nations.
"We shook hands like gentlemen. It was obvious it was going to happen," Chavez told reporters after the opening of the summit in Port of Spain. "President Obama is an intelligent man, different from the previous one."
Venezuela said the two leaders spoke of a mutual desire to change the relationship of their countries.
Pres. Hugo has called George Bush the devil and recently called Pres. Obama "a poor ignoramus." This was his response to Pres. Obama. In a January interview with Spanish-language U.S. network Univision, Pres. Obama said Chavez had hindered progress in Latin America, accusing him of exporting terrorist activities and supporting Colombian guerrillas.
But at the Summit, he told Pres. Obama: "I want to be your friend," and "President Obama is an intelligent man, different from the previous one." And he gave Pres. Obama a book.
He also approached Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss returning ambassadors to posts in Caracas and Washington.
