wing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of sympathizing with Colombian Marxist guerrillas, who are branded terrorists by Washington. Chavez, a former army officer and an ally of Communist Cuba, denies it. But he is a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy, including U.S. financing to help Colombian President Alvaro Uribe fight to end his country's conflict. Venezuela recently purchased 100,000 Russian rifles and 10 attack helicopters to beef up its military, especially along the frontier. Washington, which portrays Chavez as a regional troublemaker, fears the rifles may fall into the hands of Colombian guerrillas.
