(Reuters) Marianna Parraga and Emma Farge - The government of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez is emerging as a rare supplier of diesel to Syria, helping the Syrian government fuel its military in the middle of a bloody crackdown on civilian protests. A cargo of diesel was expected to arrive at the Syrian port of Banias this week, according to two traders and shipping data. Chavez is a vociferous advocate of Syrian President Assad and Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Asked on Thursday about whether the shipments to Syria could be used for military purposes, Chavez said that no one could dictate to Caracas. "We are a free country," Chavez said, standing with his friend Sean Penn, the U.S. actor, who is visiting Venezuela.
2012-02-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive