How can Chavez possible buy more weapons for self-defense than he needs?

[bribri16]

that's what the drunk Christopher Hitchens said. Doesn't he know that the US is a threat to Venezuela? I would say Chavez needs all the weapons he can get his hands on.

[punpirate]

1. Hitchens, the defense expert....

... yet one more thing he doesn't know squat about.

The issue of importance to the US is that Venezuela is not buying arms from the US. Arms mean trainers, etc., and a continuing US presence in and around the Venezuelan military, which means the US can continue to exert influence on the Venezuelan military (and sell US arms). That's why the US--through the pundits--is pushing the meme that Venezuela is over-arming itself.

The US has been using arms sales, training and mutual defense agreements to keep tabs on almost every military in Central and South America and to maintain close ties to the right wing in most of those countries. Chavez came from the military and knows this. So, if he wants to reduce US influence in Venezuela, not buying arms from the US is a central part of that strategy.