A big change for Chavez:
NEW YORK — The last time he was here, Hugo Chavez called then U.S. President George W. Bush "the devil," but on Wednesday Venezuela's leader offered slightly more-positive sentiments for Barack Obama.
"The arrival of President Obama, who can deny it, generates, has generated and will continue to generate big expectations," Chavez told a meeting of U.S. union leaders at the Venezuelan mission to the U.N.
In New York for his scheduled address before the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Chavez praised Obama's Wednesday speech before the same body, noting that the U.S. president said Washington is ready to work to promote peace.
But Chavez also said the White House and the foreign policy it crafts is unlikely to live up to the president's lofty words.
"Sometimes one gets the sensation that there are two Obamas. One, who gave the speech, is good. The other, really, makes decisions that are contradictory to his speech," he said.
In his words to the General Assembly, Obama pleaded for "a new era of engagement" on global problems, telling assembled world leaders that the United States shouldn't pursue a go-it-alone stance.
Chavez said that when Obama talks about peace, "you have to applaud that," but added "if you are promoting peace, then why the seven military bases in Colombia?"
The U.S. has asked Colombia for greater access to that country's military facilities, but says the proposal will not constitute a permanent presence there. Chavez isn't buying that.
"More soldiers, more weapons, more war," he said. "Don't send more soldiers, nor more bombs because what you would be doing is, well, throwing gasoline on the fire. And that effects all of us in South America."
"Obama, instead lets talk about peace. Let's set up a peace dialogue," Chavez said, later adding, "I say 'Obama, let's go Obama! Let's work truly together to promote peace! But I hope, hope, hope to God ... that Obama could become the instigator for a process of internal change."
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