Chavez Snubs U.S. Overture for Dialogue

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez snubbed a U.S. overture for dialogue on Tuesday, saying he is always willing to talk but doubts Washington sincerely wants to improve relations.

Chavez, who overwhelmingly won another six-year term in elections Sunday, said if the U.S. really wants to take meaningful steps, it would halt the war in Iraq and extradite a jailed Cuban militant who is wanted in Venezuela for a 1976 airliner bombing.

"They want dialogue but on the condition that you accept their positions," Chavez said at his first news conference since Sunday's vote.

"If the government of the United States wants dialogue, Venezuela will always have its door open," he said. "But I doubt the U.S. government is sincere."

The comments from Chavez came shortly after U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield congratulated Venezuelans on a peaceful vote and expressed Washington's willingness to seek a less conflictive relationship with Chavez.

"The president was re-elected by the decision of the Venezuelan people," Brownfield told the Venezuelan broadcaster Union Radio. "We recognize that and we're ready, willing and eager to explore and see if we can make progress on bilateral issues."

Brownfield said the United States and Venezuela share an interest in cooperating on issues including combatting drug trafficking, international crime and terrorism, as well as trade and energy issues. "Venezuela is a partner of the United States, for geographical reasons, for historical reasons," he said.

The United States remains the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan oil, but tensions have often precluded dialogue. Chavez accuses Washington of backing a 2002 coup against him, while U.S. officials worry about the health of Venezuela's democracy in a government dominated by Chavez and his allies.

Chavez also said his landslide re-election victory in a vote marked by the highest turnout in years showed Venezuela supports a radical turn toward socialism.

Chavez spoke after the elections council formally declared him the winner, defeating Manuel Rosales with nearly 63 percent of the vote. Electoral officials said turnout was about 75 percent. Chavez won some 7.2 million votes out of more than 11 million cast, the results showed.

"Those who voted for me didn't vote for me. They voted for the socialist plan, to build a profoundly different Venezuela," Chavez said, praising the Rosales camp for accepting his victory. "I want to salute the responsible opposition ... It was time they assumed the attitude of true democrats."

Rosales, meanwhile, said that although the opposition suffered a setback in the vote, it has won a victory of sorts by uniting forces to challenge Chavez in the future.