CARACAS, Oct 10: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez blamed global capitalism for Saturday’s earthquake in South Asia as well as for mudslides that have struck Central America and Mexico.

Speaking on his weekly radio and television call-in program, ‘Hello, Mr President’, Hugo Chavez said these catastrophes were nature’s answer to the ‘world global capitalist model’.

“This model is destroying the world. The world is in danger. Never has there been such disasters, hurricanes, droughts, torrential rains. Incredible! The world is dangerously off balance,” he said.

Earlier on Sunday, US television evangelist Pat Robertson, who caused ripples weeks ago calling for Mr Chavez’ assassination, said the natural disasters point to the end of the world and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

“These things are starting to hit with amazing regularity,” Pat Robertson told CNN, remarking on the coincidence of the Sub-continent’s earthquake and recent killer hurricanes slamming the United States.

Those disasters come less than a year after a massive tsunami levelled huge portions of Asia, killing more than 300,000 people and leaving a million homeless.

Mr Chavez said he had prayed for those lost and injured. —AFP