Caracas. President Hugo Chavez threatened Sunday to cut off oil sales to the United States if Venezuela is attacked by its U.S.-allied neighbor Colombia in a dispute over allegations that Venezuela gives haven to Colombian rebels.
Chavez gave his warning in an outdoor speech to thousands of supporters, saying: "If there is any armed aggression against Venezuela from Colombian territory or anywhere else supported by the Yankee empire, we ... would suspend shipments of oil to the United States."
Chavez added that the United States is "the big one to blame for all the tension in this part of the world."
If carried out, such a threat would hobble Chavez's government, which depends heavily on oil sales. Venezuela is the United States' fifth-biggest foreign supplier of oil.
But Colombia has not threatened military action, and it's likely that Chavez made the warning in part to put Washington and Bogota on notice. Chavez cut off diplomatic relations with Colombia on Thursday after outgoing President Alvaro Uribe's government presented photos, videos and maps of what it said were Colombian rebel camps inside Venezuela.
Related information
- Venezuela's Chavez nationalizes oil services firms
- Reportlinker Adds Oil and Chemicals Storage Industry Outlook in North America to 2015 - Capacity Analysis, Forecasts and Details of All Operating and Planned Storage Terminals
- GE Expands Relationship with Smart Grid Company SynapSense Through Investment, Partnership to Cut Data Center Power and Cooling Costs
- Venezuela threatens to nationalize H&P-owned rigs
- Chevron says safety sound as it prepares to drill ultra-deep well off Newfoundland
- Despite new sanctions Iran is seeking new international partners to develop its oil and gas projects
