Ahmadinejad attends Venezuelan presidential inauguration

TEHRAN,April 20(MNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had visited Caracas to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Venezuelan president-elect Nicolas Maduro on Friday. Maduro, who became the late Hugo Chavez's chosen successor, narrowly beat opposition challenger Henrique Capriles in Sunday's vote Talking to reporters before his departure to Caracas on Thursday, Ahmadinejad said, “Our relation with Venezuela is a strategic relation that symbolizes Iran’s ties with Latin America.” He also said Iran’s economic, political and energy cooperation with Venezuela is “growing”, adding he was going to Caracas to “cement our friendship.” Ahmadinejad also noted that Latin American countries are orienting their policies towards the socialist policies of Chavez who succumbed to cancer last month after 14 years in power.