The Iran- Venezuela Axis

Wall Street Journal September 8, 2009

The first sign that Venezuela and Iran were creating a partnership was in 2006, when Venezuela joined Cuba and Syria and the only countries to vote against the U.N. Atomic Energy Agency resolution to report Iran to the Security Council following its failure to abide to U.N. sanctions and halt their nuclear program.A year later, during a visit to Iran by Chavez, the two nations declared an "axis of unity" against the U.S. and Ecuador. Last year while there were strong suspicions of fraud during Ahmadinjad's victory, Chavez publicly stood by him. While the "regime cracked down on political dissent, jailing, torturing and killing protesters", Chavez increased his support. Iranian investments in Venezuela has been on the rise. The countries signed several Memorandums of Understanding on technology, development, cooperation, banking and finance, and oil and gas exploration and refining. In April 2008 they signed another Memorandum of Understanding pledging full military support and cooperation, meaning that Iranian military advisers were embedding with Venezuelan troops. Venezuela has an estimated 50,000 toons of unmined uranium, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which they could use to support Iranian proliferation. The Iranians opened an International Development Bank in Caracas under the name Banco Internacional de Desarollo C.A.I an independent subsidiary of Export Development Bank of Iran.Venezuela established a financial system that along with Iran could potentially avoid economic sanctions. Several Iranian- owned and controlled factories have come up in undeveloped parts of Venezuela and while there is no proof of activity conducted within the factory, they are ideal locations for the "illicit" productions of weapons. The U.S. Government Accountability Office(GAO) recently reported a high level of corruption within the Venezuela government,military, and law enforcement that has allowed the country to become a major shipping route for cocaine trafficking. Intelligence reports confirm Venezuela's relationship with the FARC, Colombian terrorist group and Hezbollah's engagement with the narcotic trafficking.
The Iran Venezuela alliance is growing every day. Iran has invested more interests in Venezuela as time has progressed, and there are no signs of it slowing down. The growing relationship only increases suspicions of Venezuela assisting Iranian proliferation.