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02/18/2006:

"Chávez vows to resist US 'inoculation strategy'"

Venezuela's president, Hugo Chávez, said he would resist an "imperialist attack" after Washington announced it would pursue an "inoculation strategy" against his government by creating a united front against its policies.

The rhetoric reflected a rapid deterioration in relations between the two countries after Venezuelan espionage allegations against the US and tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats.

The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, used her harshest language to date in testimony to Congress on Thursday in which she called Venezuela and Cuba "sidekicks" of Iran, and launched a campaign to rally international opposition to the Chávez government.
guardian.co.uk


Chavez Warns U.S. on Oil Exports
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned on Friday he could cut off oil exports to the United States if Washington goes "over the line" in what he has said are attempts to destabilize his left-leaning government.

Chavez made his threat a day after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the Venezuelan government posed "one of the biggest problems" in the region and that its ties to Cuba were "particularly dangerous" to democracy in Latin America.

"The government of the United States should know that if they go over the line, they are not going to have Venezuelan oil," Chavez said.

"I have already taken measures regarding this. I'm not going to say what because they think that I can't take these measures because we would not have any place to send the oil," Chavez said.