Caracas: Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has signaled a preference in the US presidential campaign by comparing Mitt Romney to his own challenger.
Chavez, who is up for re-election a month before US President Barack Obama, has in recent weeks expressed a preference for the man currently in the White House.
In a campaign speech, Chavez equated the agenda of his challenger, Henrique Capriles, with that of Romney, saying both men represent the capitalist elite.
Chavez claims Capriles is trying to trick Venezuelans into believing he cares about the poor and would eliminate the social programs that have been a hallmark of his 13 years in office.
Capriles denies it.
Chavez's comments follow Romney's criticism of an Obama statement regarding the relative danger to US interests of Chavez's deepening of ties with Iran.
PTI
First Published: Monday, July 23, 2012, 11:03