Caracas: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday that he won't recognise Libya's new government and predicted more war in the country.
The Venezuelan leader condemned the killing of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, whom he had considered a friend. He defended Gaddafi throughout the conflict and strongly criticised NATO's military involvement in the country.
"For us, there is no government in Libya," Chavez told reporters at the presidential palace.
"We don't recognise the government that NATO has installed. It's installed a government through bombs in Libya and through a genocide ... and an assassination," Chavez said.
"Independently of who the president was, whether you or others didn't like him ... he was the president of Libya," Chavez said.
He said the conflict has left behind a shattered country, and he predicted that it isn't over.
"Libya isn't under anyone's control. A war will start there now," Chavez said. "Well, it already started, imposed by NATO and the United Nations Security Council."
"They destroyed that country, and now there's chaos there, violence everywhere," he added.
The Venezuelan President demanded peace negotiations during the conflict in Libya and denounced the rebels as "terrorists”. Gaddafi at one point sent Chavez a letter thanking him for his support.
Chavez said after Gaddafi's death that he would be remembered as a martyr.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 12:03