CARACAS – Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez repeated Friday that his government will continue with its plans to strengthen the nation’s military might.

“What is important is to continue strengthening the republic’s military power,” the leftist head of state said at an official ceremony broadcast live on all radio and television stations.

He had already announced Thursday night his intention to double the number of tank battalions and said that those plans have been officially communicated to the Russian government, the principal supplier of arms to Venezuela since Washington cut off military sales to Caracas.

Caracas has purchased from Russia in the last few years 100,000 combat rifles, 24 Sukhoi-30 fighter-bombers, and 50 helicopters.

The Venezuelan president headed Friday the military parade in honor of Navy Day and the Birth of the Liberator Simon Bolivar in the eastern coastal city of Cumana.

The event, in which 2,000 military personnel took part along with warships, combat aircraft, helicopters and military vehicles, lasted almost 2½ hours and included speeches by the high command and the president.

Chávez has insisted over the past few days that the United States is trying to turn Venezuela’s neighbor Colombia into the “Israel of Latin America” and said it was “regrettable” that the Bogota government “lent itself” to that purpose.

The Venezuelan leader is concerned about a likely accord between Washington and Bogota that would allow the permanent stationing of U.S. military personnel at four Colombian military bases.

The scheme of aggression described by Chávez also included Israel’s complaints that Venezuela is sheltering “terrorists, as they (the Israelis) call Hezbollah,” and Washington reports that “Chávez supports drug trafficking and terrorism.”

Israel is the foremost recipient of aid from the United States, while Colombia gets around $500 million a year in U.S. military assistance. EFE