( CNN ) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday he appreciated U.S. President Barack Obama 's friendly gestures at last weekend 's Summit of the Americas , but said they do n't change his view of the United States as an imperialist nation . Hugo Chavez had handshakes and smiles for President Obama at the Summit of the Americas last weekend . Chavez 's fiery diatribes against the United States have included referring to former President George W. Bush as the devil . He was photographed with Obama at least twice at the summit -- once when Obama shook hands with him and other leaders , and again when he approached Obama to give him a book . `` The hand [ shake ] , yes . And the smile , yes -- one time and a second time and a third time and a fourth time , '' Chavez said during a televised address . `` But nobody should be mistaken . The empire is there , alive and kicking . '' The book Chavez presented to Obama as cameras rolled is titled `` Open Veins of Latin America : Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent . '' The book chronicles Europe 's and the United States ' role in `` the effects and causes of capitalist underdevelopment in Latin America , '' according to one reviewer . As he has in the past , Chavez noted Obama 's historic role as the first black U.S. president . `` I hope Obama , for the dignity of his race , may be the last president of an imperialist United States , '' he said .
Venezuelan president in TV interview : [ U.S. ] `` empire is there , alive and kicking '' Friendly exchanges with Chavez did n't change his view of United States '' , Chavez says . Obama : `` I hope Obama ... may be the last president of an imperialist U.S.