Obama must mind his own business: Hugo Chavez

Venezuelas President Hugo Chavez reacted on Monday to an interview published by Venezuelas El Universal with US President Barack Obama.Chavez said during a cabinet meeting that the U.S. leader should stop meddling.Obama, mind you own business, man. Focus on governing your country, which has become a disaster. Now youre going looking for votes by attacking Venezuela, he said.Obama said in the email interview that the United States believes that increasingly warm ties between Venezuela, Iran and Cuba do not benefit the Venezuelan people, U.S. President Barack Obama said in an interview published on Monday.Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have expanded the two OPEC nations close business and political relations in recent years, exacerbating tensions between Caracas and Washington.In May, the United States imposed sanctions on Venezuelas state oil company PDVSA for defying U.S. law by sending at least two tankers carrying $50 million in oil products to Iran.Venezuela is a proud, sovereign nation ... The U.S. has no intention of intervening in Venezuelas foreign relations, Obama said in the email interview with Venezuelas El Universal. However, I think the governments ties with Iran and Cuba have not benefited the interests of Venezuela and its people.Sooner or later, Venezuelas people will have to decide what possible advantage there is in having relations with a country that violates fundamental human rights and is isolated from most of the world. The Iranian government has consistently supported international terrorism.Chavez also called Obama a phoney.Obama, youre a phoney ... Go and ask the black community in your country what you are to them: the biggest frustration in I dont know how many years, he added.Go and ask the many people in Africa who may have believed in you because of the colour of your skin, because your father was from Africa. Youre a descendent of Africa, but you are the shame of all those people.Chavezs alliance with Ahmadinejad, as well as other anti-U.S. leaders, is a source of pride for the socialist and a central part of his efforts to build alternative axes of power.Since coming to power 13 years ago, Chavez has sought to project himself as the head of a global anti-imperialist movement inspired by his friend and ideological mentor, former Cuban president Fidel Castro.Chavez lauds Castros communist-led revolution and underwent cancer surgery in Cuba in June. After recuperating from that and four sessions of chemotherapy, Chavez is now focused on winning a new six-year presidential term at an election next October.-Reuters