In Venezuela, actor Sean Penn appeared with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday. Penn said he visited Venezuela as a journalist to report on the country.

Sean Penn: “I came here looking for a great country. I found a great country. I found great hospitality. I would be more specific about all of this, but I’m also here as a journalist, and so I owe it to that medium to wait until I’ve digested, fact-checked and finished my journey here. But thank you for a great trip in Venezuela, and in particular President Chavez, thank you.”

President Chavez praised Penn for visiting Venezuela.

President Chavez: “Thank you, Sean, Sean Penn. He’s from the United States and a man critical of his government and of imperialism. This man went to Baghdad to ask (U.S. President George W.) Bush to take out the troops, to stop the war. And now he wanted to come here. Well, I didn’t know him or anything, but he wanted to come here to see the truth.”