Chavez says Latin America needs Russia

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said in an interview broadcast Sunday that Latin America needs strong friendship with Russia to help reduce U.S. influence and keep peace in the region. The interview aired as a Russian Navy squadron prepared to sail to Venezuela. Venezuela recently hosted a pair of Russian strategic bombers and is preparing to conduct a joint naval exercise with Russia. Russian media say Chavez plans to visit Moscow Friday, his second trip in just over two months. 'Not only Venezuela, but Latin America as a whole, needs friends like Russia now as we are shedding this (U.S.) domination,' Chavez told Russia's Vesti 24 television. 'We need Russia for economic and social development, for all-around support, for the life of the peoples of our continent, for peace.'