José 'Pepé' Bono signs defence deal with Venezuela
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By h.b. - Nov 28, 2005 - 5:22 PM
The deal has gone ahead dispite the objections voiced by the United States

Spain’s Minister for Defence, José Bono, has today signed the sale of an order for Spanish patrol boats and aircraft with the President of Venezuela, Hugo Cháves.

Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, has thanked all of Spain, including the King and the Prime Minister for what he called ‘their firmess’ in standing up to the pressure from the United States, to try and frustrate the sale. He described Zapatero and ‘José Pepe Bono’ as good friends.

The sale has been completed despite calls from the United States for the deal to be stopped, given they say, that it includes some United States technology and that they consider it may destabilise the region.

The Bush administration say they are now ‘analysing’ the operation to see if the sale does indeed contain United States technology. José Bono has said that he had no intention of upsetting the United States.

The deal is worth 2 billion € to Spanish shipyards and factories in the EADS- CASA and Navantia groups.

The Partido Popular has said the deal with have ‘serious consequences’. PP Secretary General, Ángel Acebes, said that a large part of the Latin American community were against the deal and that Zapatero’s international policy would see serious consequences in highly sensitive areas where Spain should take special care.

Defence Minister, José Bono, now moves on to the Unites States friendly Colombia, in what is being seen as an effort to balance his trip. He meets with the Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe tomorrow.

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