Chavez says unknown submarine enters Venezuelan seas

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. File photo.
Image by: JORGE SILVA / REUTERS

Venezuela president Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday an unidentified nuclear-powered submarine violated Venezuelan territorial waters this week and was chased away by the South American nation's navy.

"It escaped because it is much faster than our vessels," Chavez said in a late-evening call to state television. "We're investigating, fortunately our marines resisted provocation."

Chavez is wont to raise the specter of possible foreign threats to his socialist government, especially from the United States. He gave scant details of the incident that he said took place on Tuesday.

"We can't accuse anyone because we don't have details," he said. "You know how the empires used to go around the Caribbean poking their noses everywhere using satellite spying."

Drug-traffickers in the region are known to have begun using submarines to transport cocaine from Colombia to the United States and further afield.

"Obviously, from its speed and size, it's a nuclear-powered submarine. Anyway, we're checking," Chavez added.

In brief comments, he also lambasted U.S. drug and crime official William Brownfield for remarks this week about an "explosion" of drug trafficking through Venezuela.

A former ambassador to Venezuela, Brownfield is currently the top official for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

Chavez said Brownfield was "ridiculous" and his government would give a formal response shortly.