US considers Venezuela one of most influential Latin American countries
Along with Brazil, the country of Venezuela is considered by a great deal of people living in the United States to be one of the most prominent nations in the entire region of Latin America.
That is according to a poll by Zogby Interactive, which revealed that 29 per cent of US citizens believe Venezuela is the most influential country in the region, comparing favourably to the 23 per cent who chose Brazil.
Mexico was third on the list with 18 per cent of the share, followed by Cuba and Argentina, both of which gained three per cent of the vote.
The placing of Venezuela at the top of the poll is representative of the strong position that president Hugo Chavez holds in Latin America.
Along with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, Mr Chavez is one of the pre-eminent political figures in the region, his vote carrying a large sway with the leaders of other countries.
Mr Chavez has been in office since February 1999, and was elected to a six-year term in July 2000. In December 2006, he earned a new term with more than 62 per cent of the nation's vote.
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