The anti-American leader of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, is funding a charity in Washington, D.C. that says its goal is to assist Latinos “regardless of their immigration status.” Chavez, a socialist and admirer of Fidel Castro, has been accused of supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah and the FARC terrorists who aim to take over Colombia. Venezuela has also been building closer ties with Iran and making large arms purchases from Russia.

The Washington Post is reporting that Citgo, which is owned by the Venezuelan government, donated $1.5 million to CASA of Maryland, a non-profit charitable organization that assists low-income Latino immigrants, both legal and illegal. Citgo previously offered heating oil at significantly reduced costs to low-income families in the United States.

Some experts feel Chavez is trying to build political support in the United States through such efforts.

“He is committed to creating this constituency in the United States and also to embarrassing the United States,” the Washington Post quoted Michael E. Shifter, vice president for policy at Inter-America Dialogue as saying.

Earlier this year, the Ecuadorian military retrieved documents from a FARC camp that indicated Venezuela was financing the terrorist organization. The U.S. recently accused Venezuela of also supporting Hezbollah members financially and with safe harbor.

Ryan Mauro