Caracas, October 28 (RHC) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday criticized recent statements made by the U.S. Southern Command Chief John Kelly against the government in Caracas.

In his weekly TV program, Maduro showed a video in which Kelly said he was "concerned" about inflation levels in Venezuela and the shortage of certain basic items.

The Venezuelan president responded by urging the U.S. general to assess the social and economic realities of nations in which Washington has promoted war, such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Maduro said that Kelly's remarks indicate that Venezuela's enemies and right-wing opposition groups "feel lost" because of their "failed" strategy to defeat government forces in the upcoming parliamentary elections to be held on December 6th.