President Obama followed his predecessor鈥檚 footsteps in dealing with Venezuela, criticizing its ties with Cuba and Iran.
In a written interview with Venezuela鈥檚 El Universal newspaper, Mr. Obama said the Venezuelan people would need to decide whether there are advantages to having ties with countries that violate human rights.
鈥淔ocus on governing your country, which you've turned into a disaster," Ch谩vez said in a state TV interview in December 2011. He also called Obama a 鈥渃lown鈥� and an 鈥渆mbarrassment.鈥�
But if Ch谩vez were an American, he would have voted for Obama during his reelection.
Challenger Mitt Romney criticized Obama for underplaying Venezuela鈥檚 threat, but Ch谩vez took Obama鈥檚 side, calling him 鈥渁 good guy.鈥� He urged Venezuelans to disregard Obama鈥檚 comments if the US president came out with stronger rhetoric against him.
鈥淥bama is campaigning. He's a candidate," he said in July 2012. 鈥淚 hope the real revolutionaries understand well. I think that Barack Obama 鈥� aside from 'the president' 鈥� is a good guy.鈥�
