Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says President Bush is a threat to world peace and stability.

Mr. Chavez's remarks on Tuesday came one day after the U.S. president expressed concerns about what he called "the erosion of democracy" in Venezuela and Bolivia. 

The Venezuelan leader described the Bush administration as an  "imperialist, war-mongering government." He said it is "eroding the possibility of peace and life" on Earth.

Mr. Chavez also accused the Bush administration of violating the civil rights of U.S. citizens. And he said Washington was trying to overthrow his government.

Mr. Chavez also has been a fierce critic of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Relations between Venezuela and the United States have grown tense in recent months. The Bush administration has accused Mr. Chavez of being a destabilizing force in Latin America. It announced earlier this month that the U.S. would stop selling arms to Caracas, saying it has failed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.