Connie Mack Takes Aim at Hugo Chavez and Obama's Foreign Policy

Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack targeted Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez on Tuesday -- and ripped into the Obama administration for not standing up to him.

Mack, the ranking Republican on the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, noted that Chavez was continuing a world tour to push his countrys oil exportation.

Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavezs mission was clear as he met with the leaders of Belarus (also known as Europes last dictatorship) and Ukraine last week in an effort to open Venezuelan oil and gas fields to diversified development, said Mack. During his trip, Chavez ensured that Kiev could act as a transit route for Venezuelan oil shipped to Belarus via the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline. The nations leaders also agreed to build a refinery in Belarus with the capacity to refine Venezuelan heavy crude.

While Chavez reaches out to nations across the world to explore and refine Venezuelan oil, what is the Obama administration doing? demanded Mack, who is rumored to be running for the U.S. Senate in 2012.The administration is failing to protect U.S. national security interests by ignoring the fact that we currently rely upon Venezuela for approximately 10 percent of U.S. oil imports.Instead of strengthening oil reserves or working with important U.S. allies such as Canada which is well-poised to increase the flow of crude oil to our refineries the Obama administration has not made it a priority.

Whats more, as the administration sits idly by, Chavez continues his quest to nationalize key private-sector industries, continued Mack. During his trip to Belarus, Chavez announced the nationalization of two gold mines in Venezuela, and just yesterday Chavez announced the expropriation of the local affiliate of U.S.-based glassmaker Owens Illinois. Chavez acknowledged that his government has a list with more names of companies in Venezuela that will be expropriated.

The Obama administration must get serious about dealing with the inherent threat that Chavez poses to our nation and the region, concluded Mack. We must take a hard look at our current energy portfolio and invest in energy projects with countries that respect international legal standards. And finally, for the security of our economy and the free market, Congress must support the pending free-trade agreements by passing them without delay.