"That hill [in front of Venezuela’s presidential Miraflores Palace] will open up and a big atomic bomb will come out.”

— President Hugo Chavez, in company of visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in Caracas, Jan. 9, 2012.

At this, both presidents chuckled. And then Chavez continued: “[T]he imperialist spokesmen say . . . Ahmadinejad and I are going into the Miraflores basement now to set our sights on Washington and launch cannons and missiles. . . . It’s laughable.”

There is nothing laughable about this friendship, however. It is high time that the international community took seriously the threat that the Iranian-Venezuelan axis poses for the security of the United States and its allies.

At a time when the world is rightly focused on the Iranian nuclear threat and its intentions against Israel, it is also important to not lose sight of that country’s clandestine dealings in Latin America. Its activities there serve multiple purposes. None of them is benign.

The trip to Latin America at the beginning of January came at a time of political turmoil for Ahmadinejad. The government’s brutal crackdown of the Green Movement after the 2009 elections has not been forgotten. In addition, there is also the aggravating factor of economic hardship, made acute by increasing international sanctions.

There is no better way to counter this international isolation, project strength and sign valuable trade agreements, than by visiting friends in the Western Hemisphere — namely, radical allies in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Cuba, all of whom harbor openly anti-American intentions.

Arguably, Chavez is Ahmadinejad’s best friend in the region. For years, Iran’s relations with Venezuela have blossomed. Their bilateral trade exceeds $40 billion, while Iran has reportedly entered into more than 150 energy, development, commercial and financial agreements with Venezuela.

And there are mysterious flights between both countries that do not accept open bookings. These are widely believed not only to transport illicit goods and weaponry, but also to carry Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps officers and even Hezbollah operatives.

According to a German report, both countries agreed in 2010 on the establishment of a jointly operated military base in Venezuela, as well as on the joint development of ground-to-ground missiles.

The regime in Caracas has also agreed on allowing a joint military base where Iranian Shihab 3 and Scud missiles will be deployed. Venezuela could thus become a base from where Iran is able to strike (militarily and through terrorist proxies) at America. (© Copyright 2012 NYDailyNews.com. 02/20/12)