Why has Russia sent their warships to be with Hugo Chavez?

Wars and Rumors of Wars ..... Why has Russia sent their warships to be with Hugo Chavez?

After Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez literally cursed out the United States and gave our Ambassador 72 hours to leave his country, Russia dispatched warships to the South American country in an effort to begin naval exercises. This tactic and veiled message is something that has not been seen since the edgy days of the Cold War.

If Hugo Chavez goes any further off of the deep end and aligns himself more with the radical factions of South American Governments, the United States could not only be looking at a loss of a major oil supplier, but a bigger threat from the Carniverous Bear (Russia), who could be setting his sights on America after having sharpened his claws on the former Soviet republic of Georgia.

With everything that's going on, do you really know what time it really is?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080912/ts_nm/venezuela_chavez_dc