Hugo Chavez Threatens to Cut Off Its Oil Exports To The United States

If you thought that a change in the Presidency in Washington would have changed how the Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez felt about the United States, you would have been sadly mistaken. Mr. Chavez may not now smell sulphur and brimstone, tell tell signs of the presence of the devil - something Chavez said he smelled when former President Bush spoke at the United Nations – but we know he still harbors ill will towards the United States. BBC is reporting that Chavez has threatened to cut the oil his country export to the U.S.; his current dispute with the United States stems from our support for the Colombian government. Mr. Chavez’s venom is specifically geared toward President Alvaro Uribe, the outgoing leader of Colombia.

Chavez cut diplomatic ties with Colombia last week because Colombia says that he is harboring Colombian rebels in Venezuela Chavez believed that Colombia’s accusation came at the behest of the United States. The oil export cut off would only see the light of day if Colombia attacked Venezuela in an effort to root out the supposed Colombian rebels being given refuge by Chavez’s regime. Chavez is also irate with Colombia because it has allowed the United States to have access to its military bases. By extrapolating, even though it has no basis in fact, Chavez might be concern that it would give the United States easy access to invade his country.

Chavez said he and his people might have to resort to eating stones, but that he would still cut oil supplies to the U.S. if it or any surrogate countries, including Colombia were to attack Venezuela. It must be noted that Venezuela exports 90% of its country’s oil output to the United States. The Organization of American States (OAS) has evidence – photos and documents – showing FARC guerrillas congregating in Venezuela. Chavez denies this and so therein lies the dispute that plagues Venezuela, Colombia, and the United States. Colombia and Venezuela share a huge border and the fact that the latter has leftist leanings and the former embraces democratic principles fuels this ideological dispute.