Since the start of the George W. Bush administration in 2001, relations between Venezuela and the United States deteriorated markedly, as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez became highly critical of the U.S. foreign policy. Chávez has been known for his anti-American rhetoric. In a speech at the UN General Assembly, Chávez said that Bush promoted "a false democracy of the elite" and a "democracy of bombs". Chávez opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Chávez also condemned the NATO–led military intervention in Libya, calling it an attempt by the West and the U.S. to control the oil in Libya.