"Forty-eight hours earlier, [Barack] Obama said the 20th century was a century of conflicts, and that the new age should become the age of peace. This was a good statement," Hugo Chavez said during a visit to Japan.
Chavez said he is closely watching the activities of the new U.S. administration, which are different from the Bush's, whose rule he described as "irrational and immoral."
"I have not lost trust in the Obama government. There are positive signals that we recognize," he said.
According to the Venezuelan leader, he, despite a number of critical statements against the new president, has "no bias against the incumbent [U.S.] government" and is ready "to agree, on the basis of mutual respect, to rapprochement, including possible dialogue."
"I will dare to stretch out a hand to Obama and tell [him] 'come over here' - to the side of those who wish peace in the world and really love humankind. We will build a union to fight hunger, poverty, violence, drug trafficking, terrorism and racism," he said.
Chavez's statements come shortly before the April 17-19 Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, during which the two leaders are to meet.
"I hope that the Trinidad and Tobago summit will contribute to a reset in relations between the United States and Venezuela, and I would like to push the reset button," Chavez said last week.
Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela fell to an all-time low in September 2008 when Caracas expelled the U.S. ambassador for allegedly organizing a conspiracy against the country.
Chavez has traditionally had tense relations with Washington. However, the United States remains the biggest importer of Venezuelan oil, the country's most important export.
