Jackson Defends Venezuelan Head

Last week's comments come amid tense relations between Caracas and Washington. President Chavez is a regular critic of Washington, which regards the left-wing leader as a possible source of instability in the region. The Venezuelan leader has said that US President George W Bush will be to blame if he is attacked. 'Propaganda coup' Rev Jackson urged US authorities to take action against Mr Robertson's statements. "We must choose a civilized policy of rational conversation," he told reporters during his three-day visit to speak at a ceremony. Rev Jackson later met and shook hands with Mr Chavez during the Venezuelan leader's weekly radio and television programme, the Associated Press reports. Mr Jackson's visit is a propaganda coup for the Venezuelan president, says the BBC's Justin Webb in Caracas. Mr Chavez is likely to use the reverend's presence to demand that the White House apologise for Mr Robertson's remarks, our correspondent adds. On Monday, Pat Robertson told viewers of his influential TV show, the 700 Club, that the US should act on Mr Chavez's recurrent complaints that the US was allegedly trying to assassinate him. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4193574.stm

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