January 22, 2007	Monday	Muharram 02, 1428

CARACAS, Jan 21: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez vowed on Sunday that his government would always back US foes Syria and Iran in the face of threats from Washington.

The United States “is an empire of madmen,” Chavez, who has accused Washington of wanting to topple him, said in his weekly radio television show “Hello President.” ”They threaten Syria. We will always be with Syria and Iran,” he told Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal, who was a guest in the broadcast.

“They want to remove our brother (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad.” Chavez visited Syria and Iran last year and expects a visit from Assad sometime this year. He met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Caracas a week ago.

The Venezuelan leader has backed Iran in its standoff with the West over its disputed nuclear programme.—AFP