By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : Brazil has denied it will get into an arms race with Venezuela even if the latter imports weapons.
“If Venezuela is importing weaponry, it is their problem,” said Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim Wednesday.
While testifying at the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Relations and National Defence Committee, Jobim said the government would promote military diplomacy in South America.
The Brazilian minister is scheduled to visit all the countries on the continent in the first half of 2008.
He told the congressmen that the Brazilian government is working on a strategic plan aimed at boosting the country’s defence industry and creating an industrial complex based on the country’s own technology.
He said the government’s budget for the defence sector would increase from the current 6.5 billion reais ($3.64 billion) to 10 billion reais ($5.6 billion) next year.
Earlier this week, Brazilian Senator Jose Sarney launched a debate on a concern over Venezuela’s military equipment purchase plans announced by the Venezuelan government.