Peres warns Latin America of Venezuelan and Iranian leaders

Ending his Latin America trip, Israeli President Shimon Peres predicted that the people of Venezuela and Iran would soon get tired of their leaders. Speaking at a forum in Argentina, Peres said both Hugo Chávez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had gone crazy over oil. He said both leaders are headed for a fall. "They won't hold, not because any of us is going to kill them; their own people are getting tired of them," Peres said. "So if you want good relations with them, consider that they are passing passengers. It's a short-term relationship. Don't waste too much on them."

Peres also noted that approval for Chávez had recently dropped in opinion polls. "I see the latest polls that show most of the people are dissatisfied with him. If I could vote in the poll, I know exactly how I would vote. Because the problem is not just what Venezuela is doing for Chávez but what Chávez is doing for Venezuela. It is not a serious government."

Peres also accused Ahmadinejad and Chávez of wasting their oil reserves in an attempt to buy political prestige. "Oil makes them think a bit complicated," he said, twirling his right hand near his head as if to suggest both leaders are crazy. "It's really dangerous if you swallow it. It's not bad to sell it but don't drink it too much. And wherever there is oil, there are problems as well. You lose your sense of proportion. Let's not forget that oil is not being produced. It's not the result of human engineering. It's being discovered. And you don't know where it is going to be discovered or how long it will last."

Peres also paid homage to the victims of the terrorist attacks on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and the AMIA Jewish center. The president met with the bereaved families and survivors. At the end of the meeting Peres thanked Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner for her warm reception and her desire to increase cooperation with Israel. He invited her to Jerusalem to participate in next year's Israeli Presidential Conference. Kirchner welcomed the invitation and said that it would be a great honor for her to come to Israel next year.