Hugo Chavez announces Venezuela making drones and Kalashnikov rifles

Venezuela has spent billions of dollars for Russian arms and military aircraft since 2005, including 24 Sukhoi fighter jets, dozens of attack helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Army Gen. Julio Cesar Morales Prieto, president of Venezuela's state-run arms producer, said 3,000 AK-103 assault rifles have been assembled since Venezuela and Russia signed the 2005 agreement for the construction of a Kalashnikov assembly factory.

The factory has begun production, but construction of the facility has not yet been completed, Morales Prieto said.

The factory eventually will have the capacity to produce 25,000 rifles annually.

Chavez, a former paratroop commander, said that Venezuela has also started making grenades, ammunition and surveillance drones for its military. Three drones have been built so far, he said.

"We do not have any intentions of attacking anybody," he said. "These projects are for defence, for peace."

June 1, 2012 - Venezuela bans private gun ownership - Venezuela has brought a new gun law into effect which bans the commercial sale of firearms and ammunition.

Until now, anyone with a gun permit could buy arms from a private company.

Under the new law, only the army, police and certain groups like security companies will be able to buy arms from the state-owned weapons manufacturer and importer.

The ban is the latest attempt by the government to improve security and cut crime ahead of elections in October.

...Besides the health of President Chavez, security is the main concern for voters ahead of presidential elections in October.

.....Hugo Chavez's government says the ultimate aim is to disarm all civilians, but his opponents say the police and government may not have the capacity or the will to enforce the new law.........

If Chavez’ opposition actually wants Chavez to make weapon ownership illegal and thinks the government and police dont have the will to enforce the law (and that would be a “bad” thing somehow), then they are a lot more stupid than I ever thought possible. They deserve that they are going to get. It would be like Polish Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto who were in the resistance coming forward with their weapons, on good faith, for a deal with the occupying Nazis. Ridiculous.

Venezuela says building drones with "Sister Republic" Iran's help "CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela is building unmanned drone aircraft as part of military cooperation with Iran and other allies, President Hugo Chavez said, in a move likely to heighten U.S. anxiety over his socialist government's role in the region.

Referring to a Spanish media report that U.S. prosecutors are investigating drone production in Venezuela, Chavez said late on Wednesday: "Of course we're doing it, and we have the right to. We are a free and independent country."

In a televised speech to military officers at Venezuela's Defense Ministry, Chavez said the aircraft only has a camera and was exclusively for defensive purposes. "We don't have any plans to harm anyone," he said.

"We are doing this with the help of different countries including China, Russia, Iran, and other allied countries," he added, apparently referring both to drone construction and to other projects including a munitions and weapons factory.

During the lengthy broadcast, Chavez spoke by satellite link with a Venezuelan military officer at the state-owned arms maker Cavim.

The officer stood by a small drone labeled Harpy-001. He said it was 13 feet by 8 feet, could fly as high as 10,000 feet and for as long as 90 minutes. Venezuela has produced three of them, he said.

"They are made in this country with military engineers who went to do a course in the sister Republic of Iran," said the officer.".......

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