Sports / Off the Field
Chavez backs ally Argentina over Mexico - in soccer
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-12 08:45
CARACAS, July 11 - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez counts Argentina as a
close ally and has frosty ties with Mexico, so naturally he favored the
South American nation in a dispute between the two countries on Wednesday.
Hours before kick-off, Chavez predicted Argentina would beat Mexico in a
semi-final of the Copa America, Latin America's most prestigious soccer
tournament being hosted by Venezuela.
"We are South Americans and we have our heart with South America," Chavez
said in a speech at a sports stadium a day after Brazil reached the final.
"With Argentina surely going to win today, we will have an amazing final
to crown the tournament. That is the ideal final, Argentina-Brazil," he
added.
Mexicans may be heartened because Chavez's previous forecasts have been
wrong.
Before the tournament, he told his Brazilian counterpart that perennial
underdogs Venezuela would be the surprise of the tournament, face the
five-time world champions and beat them 3-0.
Venezuela did not progress far enough to meet Brazil in the tournament.
Chavez, an enthusiastic baseball player in a nation that has until recent
years shown little interest in soccer, said the tournament had never been
better organized.
His government has used windfall oil revenue to spend $1 billion on
stadiums.
The tournament has generally been a success despite many fans' complaints
that the government appeared to hoard tickets for its supporters and
last-minute construction work that left debris piled inside venues.
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