Chavez Calls on Russia To Counter U.S. Aggression

MOSCOW — President Chavez of Venezuela called yesterday for a strategic relationship with Russia to counter aggression from America.

With a long shopping list for state-of-the-art defense equipment under his arm, Mr. Chavez did his best to ingratiate himself with his hosts.

Yesterday, he signed off on a deal giving Russia's state-owned energy companies — often accused of doubling as private piggy banks for powerful Kremlin forces — exclusive rights to develop new deposits Venezuela's Orinoco Oil Belt.