Chavez reveals personal side in interview

NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez touched on a variety of topics from Christianity to assassination and revealed a deeply personal side in a lengthy interview.

He told CNN's Larry King that he loves Jesus Christ, thinks highly of U.S. President Barack Obama and American culture, likes to sing, admires the work of U.S. actor Charles Bronson and would have liked to play baseball in Yankee Stadium.

Chavez also accused the Bush administration of ordering his assassination during a short-lived coup in 2002, but the appointed killers backed out. Chavez expressed concern that the United States, which he calls "the empire," still would like to topple him.

The interview was scheduled for broadcast Friday night.

Chavez, a self-proclaimed socialist, spoke with King exclusively a few hours after giving a speech to the U.N. General Assembly, in which he praised Obama but criticized some U.S. policies.

He told King he hopes for improved relations with the United States, but "we want relations based on respect, relations of peoples where we are respected."

"Most governments in the United States in a hundred years have not respected the peoples of Latin America," Chavez said. "They have sponsored coup d'etats, assassinations. It's enough. We want to be brothers and sisters. We want respect and equality."

He spoke of Iran and Israel, efforts to overthrow him, criticism that he is power hungry and trying to silence critics. He spoke reflectively of his own Christian background, starting as a Catholic altar boy.

"I'm a Christian," he said. "I want the world of justice and equality. This is the only way to achieve peace.

"My mother wanted me to be a priest. I am very Christian and Catholic. I'm very faithful. I believe in God, in Jesus Christ. I love Jesus Christ. I cry when I see injustice, children dying of hunger."

Despite his comments, Chavez and the Catholic Church have been at odds since he came to power in 1999. The church has been one of his major critics with Pope Benedict XVI and other church leaders expressing concern over what they see as attempts by Chavez to limit the church's influence.

Chavez, in turn, has referred to church leadership as a "tumor."