Venezuela's populist President Hugo Chavez on Sunday accused the United States of using the tragedy of Haiti's earthquake to launch a military occupation of the country.
"Why send 3,000 armed soldiers unless it is for war?" said the firebrand leader who has often defined his rule by attacking leaders in Washington.
"It appears they are militarily occupying Haiti, taking advantage of the tragedy," he said during a weekly television address.
His comments echo those of fellow leftist, Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, who called on the United States to withdraw from Haiti.
The Pentagon has announced the deployment of 10,000 troops to Haiti, which the United States has occupied in the past.
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