President Obama,who went to the fifth Summit of the Americas, met controversial Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Chavez has been a harsh critic of the United States. Chavez even went so far as to call former president Bush the devil.

Chavez stated he would like to extend a hand of friendship to the new president and the people of the United State. Chavez also gave Obama a cope of a book, Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by journalist Eduardo Galeano. The book basically blames nations such as the United States of exploiting the people and resources of Central and South America.

Some have criticized Obama for having a friendly conversation with the controversial Chavez so soon.

You can watch as Obama talks about his recent meeting with Chavez.