Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez calls for Carriles' extradition

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged US President Barack Obama to hand over former CIA operative Luis Posada Carriles, who is believed to be behind the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jet which left 73 people killed. "Send us the terrorist Posada Carriles," Chavez said in a televised speech. "We've been waiting four years for the extradition of the biggest terrorist in human history."

The administration of George W. Bush had refused to extradite Posada after he was arrested in the United States for illegally entering the country. The decision sparked harsh criticism of double standard regarding the 'war on terror'.

Following the Cuban jet incident investigators from Cuba, Venezuela and the United States traced the planting of the explosive to two Venezuelan nationals, who admitted that they were hired by Carriles to execute the bombing. Among those perished in the incident were all 24 members of the 1975 national Cuban Fencing team, which had just won all the gold medals in the Central American and Caribbean Championship.

• Posada was involved in the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion to topple Cuban leader Fidel Castro, he is also accused in Cuba of plotting 1997 hotel bombings in Havana that killed an Italian tourist.

Following his arrest in the United States Posada was jailed for two years in Texas on immigration charges but was released in 2007 -- He now lives in Miami. The extradition could help improve the relations between the Venezuela and the US, which deteriorated under the Bush administration.

Venezuela, which currently provides 12 percent of US oil imports, has accused Obama of following in the footsteps of his predecessor and repeating the same policies despite the promise of 'change'.

Chavez calls for Carriles' extradition