Robertson urges U.S. to kill Chavez

Associated Press
Published August 23, 2005

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called Monday for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, labeling him a "terrific danger" to the United States.

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on "The 700 Club" that the U.S. must not let Chavez make Venezuela a "launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush, accusing the U.S. of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."

Venezuela is a major supplier of oil to the United States.

Robertson said the U.S. failed to act when Chavez was briefly overthrown in 2002, and added:

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

Attempts to reach a Robertson spokeswoman were unsuccessful Monday evening.