President Hugo Chavez said he hopes the next US president will be open to improving relations with Venezuela, but he warned that Republican contender John McCain seems to be a "man of war" like President George W. Bush.
Chavez, whose country is the United States' fourth-largest oil supplier, said Tuesday that McCain's remarks during the campaign don't bode well for easing tensions.
"McCain seems to be a man of war too. He said yesterday that Bush has been very tolerant with Chavez. He's gone to Iraq to offer more weapons and more dollars - and more war," Chavez said. "God save us - and beyond God, may the people of the United States save us from greater madness."
Chavez, who regularly calls Bush the devil, added: "Sometimes one says that worse than Bush is impossible, but we don't know."
