Chavez Stirs S. American Vitriol vs. U.S. 'Imperialism'

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, on a tour of South America, urged his fellow leaders to band together against U.S. “imperialism.” He also criticized NATO-led military intervention in Libya as “crazy,” according to reports.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez derides NATO-led military intervention in Libya as 'crazy.' (Getty Photo)

"The empire is going crazy and it's a real threat to world peace as the imperialism has entered its phase of extreme craziness," Chavez said Thursday in Bolivia, where he met with President Evo Morales.

"We don't want any more imperialism," he said, according to CRIEnglish.com.

Chavez’s official visit to Bolivia followed tours of Uruguay and Argentina. In Buenos Aires, he received a press freedom award, despite being widely criticized for stifling the media in his homeland.

Chavez planned to visit Colombia before returning home. Before embarking on his tour, Chavez accused the United States of trying to foment a war between Colombia and Venezuela.

"We have to guarantee peace, because the Yankees have a plan to generate a war between Colombia and Venezuela, of course, to get rid of Chavez and then the intervention," he said Sunday in his weekly television broadcast.