Connie Mack Warns Obama About Letting Russia in the WTO Due to Ties with Hugo Chavez

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging the administration to reconsider allowing Russia into the World Trade Organization (WTO) due to that nations support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavezs nuclear ambitions.

Last weeks news that Russia is assisting Venezuela with the development of two nuclear reactors is extremely troubling, said Mack on Friday. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is not a man who can be trusted with nuclear energy.This is the same man that has befriended and works with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, supports internationally recognized terrorist organizations like the FARC, and continues to threaten the stability and security of the entire hemisphere.

From his perch as the ranking Republican on the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Mack has been a vocal opponent of Chavez -- but he also has increasingly taken aim at the White House, adding to the buzz that Mack intends to run against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

Whats more troubling, however, is that the Obama administration has done little to stop this threat dead in its tracks, said Mack on Friday. It is outrageous that the administration continues to turn a blind eye to Chavezs dangerous antics.

We must not consider allowing Russia into the WTO while they continue to supply weapons and nuclear capability to rogue states like Venezuela, continued Mack. And we should put Venezuela on the state sponsor of terrorism list once and for all.