Chavez has been a staunch defender of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He did not say whether he had been in contact with the Libyan leader in recent days and did not refer directly to the rebels who entered the capital of Tripoli on August 22.

"Let's pray to God for the Libyan people," Chavez said during a televised speech.

Chavez condemned the latest NATO air strikes in the country, as well as the roles of the United States and some European nations.

"Today they dropped I don't know how many bombs, and they're falling in a shameless and open way... on schools, hospitals, homes, work places, factories, farm fields at this very moment," Chavez said. "They're practically demolishing Tripoli with their bombs."

He said the US and other powers had sought excuses to try to take over the country.

The leftist leader has repeatedly condemned NATO's role in Libya and recently called the country's rebels a ‘group of terrorists’.

AP