Chavez Recognizes Abkhazia, South Ossetia

Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, in Moscow shopping for military hardware, may have been fishing for a discount when he announced that Caracas would join Russia and Nicaragua in recognizing the independence of the breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The U.S., of course, is a strong supporter and ally of Georgia.

The BBC:

Venezuela will recognise the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, President Hugo Chavez says.

Venezuela will become the third country to support their controversial independence declarations, after Russia and Nicaragua.

Mr Chavez made the announcement during a visit to Russia.

He was expected to sign energy and weapons deals during the visit. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev affirmed that Moscow was willing to sell arms.

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AP / Musa Sadulayev

Russian tanks move through South Ossetia in 2008 during the war between Russia and Georgia.