Chavez says U.S. ties would be no warmer with Obama

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday his prickly relations with Washington would not improve even if Democrat candidate Barack Obama wins the U.S. presidential election in November. Chavez, a relentless critic of U.S. foreign policy and President George W. Bush, advocates weakening the influence of the United States and calls the nation "the empire." Chavez told his supporters not to raise their hopes that relations with the United States would improve if Obama is elected U.S. president, saying there was little difference between him and Republican candidate John McCain. "The two candidates for the U.S. presidency attack us equally, they attack us defending the interests of the empire," Chavez said at a meeting of his socialist party. "Let's not kid ourselves, it is the empire and the empire... [read full story]