Chávez Says U.S. Can’t Kick Oil Habit

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during his interview (image: cnn.com)

Hugo Chávez, the bombastic and often inflamatory president of Venezuela, gave an interview to CNN en Español last night.  He spoke on the anniversary of his rise to power, a period that Venezuelan state television called “a decade of successes,” according to cnn.com.

On the subject of the United States, Chávez said he hopes to resume normal diplomatic relations with new president Barack Obama, but said that it would depend on the U.S.  He also said he supports Obama’s goal of making the U.S. less dependent on oil and use more renewable resources, but that the American people couldn’t do it.  “It’s very difficult for the United States to diminish its use of oil, he said, adding, “the U.S. needs petroleum “like air, like oxygen to live, to survive.”  Not surprisingly, Chávez also mentioned Venezuelan-owned CITGO’s heating oil donation program that provides free oil to needy American families.

There we have it America–Hugo Chávez has made a challenge.  Can we reduce our dependance on oil and prove Chávez wrong?  To be sure, Obama’s energy goals are ambitious.  Hopefully Americans of all stripes will band together to meet Obama’s energy goals over the next four years and beyond to help build a greener, brighter, more self-sufficient energy future.