The news announced over the weekend that Venezuela was seeking to acquire nuclear technology from Argentina, just happened to coincide with Pat Robertson’s claims (which were in the news months ago) that Venezuela is cozying up to Iran for nuclear purposes. (We know, Pat.)

Francisco Toro has some very interesting thoughts about this baffling trend that seems to kind of skim over our US-American eyes, given that Hugo Chavez here is largely viewed as a clown (and therefore ineffective) – along with some pointed observations about where this all is headed. Read the whole thing here and here.

Aleksander Boyd has thoughtful reporting and excellent observations about Chavez’s quest for nuclear energy. He cites and links what’s being said in the local Argentine press, and notes areas where Chavistas are contradicting each other. He notes that at the end of the day, all that matters is what Chavez says, caudillo that he is. I particularly like the quotes from Argentine officials he fishes up. The Argentine officials say they will conduct the transaction with utmost responsibility. Really? This coming from Argentine officials who blame shopkeepers for their snowballing inflation? It’s like ‘love’ from the mouth of a whore. Read it all here.

UPDATE: Jorge Arena has a truly fine, well-researched new item on why the purchase of a nuclear reactor from Argentina makes absolutely no sense – it’s tremendous work, read it here.