Hugo Chávez Speaks

Democracy Now! met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez for his first interview in the U.S. Amy Goodman interviewed him in New York City with co-host Juan Gonzalez and Margaret Prescod of Pacifica Radio station KPFK. This is an edited version of the transcript.

Scores of world leaders have come to the United States for the United Nations summit. Among them, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. In a speech before the world body, Chávez accused the U.S. of trying to hijack the U.N. Summit, and described the United States as a terrorist nation because it's harboring televangelist Pat Robertson who recently called for Chávez's assassination. President Chávez also accused the United States of being behind the reported coup against him in 2002. Chávez condemned the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and threatened to cut off oil sales to the United States.

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