- Venezuela hits back at claim country is run by 'wackos'

Scotsman.com News - International - Venezuela hits back at claim country is run by 'wackos': "Venezuela hits back at claim country is run by 'wackos'

VENEZUELA'S vice-president said yesterday that the United States senator John McCain 'can go to hell' for suggesting that 'wackos' run the South American country.

Jose Vicente Rangel was reacting to Mr McCain's statement on Sunday that the US must explore alternative energy sources to avoid depending on Iran or 'wackos' in Venezuela - apparently a reference to the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez.

Mr Rangel said that the Americans have 'so many problems - 40 million poor people, 30 million drug users - and an American senator is paying attention to us. He can go to hell.'

Mr McCain, a potential Republican presidential contender in 2008, said recent actions by Mr Chavez and by Iran's leaders make it clear that the US will be vulnerable as long as it remains dependent on energy from foreign sources."