Venezuela said to have spent $33B to influence neighbors

Venezuela said to have spent $33B to influence neighbors El Nuevo Herald Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has spent close to $33 billion to influence the regional politics of Latin America, helping to finance the economies of nations such as Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, a former U.S. intelligence official has testified before the U.S. Congress. The Venezuelan government also provided resources to Colombia's FARC guerrillas, the Basque separatist group known as ETA and Islamic organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to Norman Bailey. Bailey briefly held the post of Venezuela and Cuba program manager for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence last year, a position that coordinates information-gathering for areas considered top priorities. Bailey, now with the Institute of World Politics... [read full story]