These links in no way justify Chavez's $3.5 billion purchase of new submarines from the new Soviets. Venezuela already has submarines. Columbia (much less Chile) is zero threat to Venezuela. Further, the Columbian "submarines" are more than 30 years old. Are they still in service? It is obvious that Chavez wants new weapons so he can threaten others in his region. Why is Chavez spending billions on new Russian weapons when there is no military threat, and there are so many poor right beneath his socialist nose? Consider who you are defending.
Perhaps because of a newfound and incrasing hostility between Caracas and the worlds only superpower which has a recent track record of hostile and pre-emptive wars based on shaky evidence.
I don't think he should be squandering money on the military over the poor either, but I find it a bit hypocritical for an American conservative to express sudden concern over Venezuala's poor. The slums are terrible, but there are many places which are significantly worse.