Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has been a close ally of Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syria's Hafez Assad for a long time.
All three use their "petrol dollars" to do anything they can think up to damage the United States and Israel
Chavez funds and sponsors Marxist gurillas in several countries throughout Central and South America. Hundreds of civilians killed by now, perhaps thousands.
Chavez also helps funnel Islamic jihadists into the US trough the wide-open border with Mexico. Estimates are are least 10 to 15 thousand are in the US now.
Chavez is an enemy of the United States and Israel. He is a friend of Jimmy Carter. That says something, I suppose.