VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez's plan to build a nuclear reactor draws him closer to Russia and burnishes his U.S-baiting image before elections, but any atomic program in the OPEC nation is still years from fruition. Chavez, whose popularity is partly drawn from his brash challenges to the US “empire,” last week dusted off plans to build a nuclear power station after Russia said it was willing to help Venezuela acquire the technology. The Venezuelan leader says he wants nuclear energy to help meet his country's fast-growing electricity demand. He has also won a promise from France to help. “In Venezuela we are interested in development of nuclear energy, of course for peaceful purposes, for medical purposes, for purposes of electricity generation,” Chavez said. The socialist president, who liberally spends oil wealth to counter US influence and is allied with Washington foes such as Cuba and Iran, next month faces tough city and state elections in which his supporters could lose several posts. Experts say it will take more than a decade for Venezuela to get an atomic program off the ground but Chavez knows his plans will needle Washington while cementing his relationship with Moscow, which is expanding its influence in Latin America. “I see this in the context of the wider geopolitical dance between Russian and the United States and Chavez's domestic interests,” said Shannon O'Neil, co-author of a report by the Council on Foreign Relations on US-Latin American relations. Moscow is engaged in a spat with Washington over the conflict in Georgia, plans for a US missile shield in Russia's backyard and US naval operations in the Black Sea. Suggesting it may transfer nuclear technology to one of the United States' main foes in the Western Hemisphere is another jab. It is welcomed by Chavez, who uses hostile relations with Washington to fire up supporters, some of whom are frustrated with high crime and soaring food prices. Chavez, popular for spending on the poor, also has bought billions of dollars worth of fighter jets, helicopters and rifles from Russia, allowed Moscow's long-distance bombers to land in Venezuela and agreed to joint naval maneuvers in the Caribbean later this year. Last month, he expelled the US ambassador from Venezuela and accused the United States of influencing a coup plot against him. Many Venezuelans believe the United States would oust Chavez by violent means if it could. Watch carefully The United States, which says Chavez threatens the region's democracies, will closely monitor any Venezuelan nuclear program to make sure it does not have a military element. “This is something that we'll watch carefully,” US Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon told Reuters. “We're not opposed to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.” Venezuela has signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty limiting use of nuclear material and would have to follow safeguards from UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), before any transfers of technology. More hard-line voices in Washington, already concerned by Chavez's new closeness to Russia, will pressure for tougher action to be taken. Some are already calling for Venezuela to be included in a list of state sponsors of terrorism because they charge Chavez has backed Colombia's Marxist FARC guerrillas. “There are definitely going to be quarters that will see this if not as an imminent threat, then as a serious challenge to the United States,” O'Neill said. The reality behind the words and diplomatic jostling is that before Venezuela acquires nuclear energy it needs to train personnel and have systems to manage the technology and waste. Venezuelan nuclear physicist Eduardo Greaves said Venezuela had started to train personnel in recent years and could have a small research reactor within five to ten years, but would not produce energy for about 15 years. “Venezuela is taking timid steps, but it's taking steps,” said Greaves, who believes nuclear power will help the South American country remain a major energy player. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico already have atomic power. Venezuela largely relies now on hydroelectric and oil-fired power stations to generate electricity. It is building more oil generators to meet rapidly growing demand, but would prefer to export the oil it produces. – Reuters __
