During a recent visit to the pipeline 's projected starting point , as oil workers and local residents crowded just outside this fishing town in Venezuela 's northeast , Mr. Chavez proclaimed , as he stood next to a row of national flags : '' Here in this South America , from the Caribbean to Patagonia , we 'll build a great bloc of political , economic and social power to seek world equilibrium this century , where we do n't have one policeman who wants to be the owner of the world . ''