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Caracas, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez will welcome his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on
Monday on his first stop of a four-nation tour of Latin America, state
media reported.
The Iranian leader arrived in Caracas on Sunday and is traveling
with his ministers for foreign affairs, energy and economy, according
to IRNA, Iran's official news agency.
It's no coincidence that Venezuela is Ahmadinejad's first stop.
Despite their cultural differences, Venezuela and Iran have found
significant common ground: both are among the world's top crude oil
exporters and their leaders are strong allies united by a fierce
opposition to what they view as U.S. imperialism.
The two nations have signed more than 270 accords, including trade
deals, construction projects, car and tractor factories, energy
initiatives and banking programs.
Chavez has also helped the Islamic republic forge relationships with
other members of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas, an
eight-nation regional bloc Chavez founded.
Ahmadinejad: Look at U.S. nuclear arms
Still, not everyone in Venezuela is happy with Ahmadinejad's visit.
Even before he arrived, the president's plans for a Latin America tour
grabbed global attention as tensions grow between many Western powers
and Iran over the nation's nuclear program.
Diego Arria, an opposition politician, described the trip as a
"provocation" to the United States, and an embarrassment for Venezuela.
"It comes at the worst moment -- at a time when Ahmadinejad is being
looked at by the international community with great fear. ... It's
bringing the threat to the United States closer to home," he said.
The Iranian president is scheduled to visit Nicaragua, Ecuador and Cuba later this week as part of his five-day tour.
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