Hugo Chavez Warns of Cutting Off Oil to U.S.

(AP)  President Hugo Chavez threatened Sunday to halt oil sales to the United States if Venezuela is attacked by its U.S.-allied neighbor Colombia.

Chavez said during a speech to thousands of supporters that if there were an "armed aggression against Venezuela" from Colombia backed by the U.S., "we would suspend shipments of oil."

Chavez said "we wouldn't send one more drop" of oil to the United States, which is the top buyer of oil from the South American country.

The Venezuelan leader 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.

Chavez calls it a bogus show intended to smear his government and has said the Uribe could be trying to lay the groundwork for an armed conflict.

The Colombian government denies seeking a conflict. It says it went to the Organization of American States with its evidence about the rebels' alleged presence in Venezuela last week because Chavez's government had not taken steps to address the situation.

Chavez said Sunday he is canceling a trip to Cuba due to the tensions with Colombia.

He said separately in a newspaper column, however, that he will wait to see if Colombian President-elect Juan Manuel Santos, who takes office next month, expresses willingness to ease the diplomatic conflict.

"We have to receive clear and unequivocal signals that there is a real political will in the new Colombian government to take up the path of dialogue again, without tricks," Chavez wrote.

[jlzuasr]

why we don't stop this loco madman (the same thing) media coverage, stop planes flying to venezuela, stop any economic. commercial trade, anything so this zombie chupacabra (have you seen his face?, yes the chupacabra is more beatiful than him , gets no more money from USA, no one single penny,
let's blatantly ignore him, by the way who cares about him? only the other gays, maradona , fidel and raul castro, noriega, evacuate, evo, and those other commies.

[flitter54]

I wonder how long he thinks his stinking regime will last if he alienates the USA?

[wdh3007]

Pugo Chavez is an idiot the U.S. has more oil than anyone and doesn't need a drop from Venezuela.

[sjc_1]

The U.S. has 3% of the world's oil reserves and uses 25% of the oil every day. This is why we need FFVs and methanol, then they have no power over us...ever.

[perish2]

Since we get the vast majority of all of our imported oil and gas from Canada, I don't think we should worry too much about Venezuela. Why are we still involved with Columbia? Are we still actively carrying out military missions in Columbia? I thought that ended under Bush 41. We are carrying out operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and now maybe in Columbia. What the heck is going on?

[love2ridend]

Danny, Sean where are you? You were spouting of on Bush and bragging on Chavez. New President I haven't heard from you come on fair is fair Chavez is mad at the US and Bush isn't president. Time to speak up now.

[jgg000101]

not to worry. sean penn, danny glover and oliver stone are on it.

[bobnjersey]

[not to worry. sean penn, danny glover and oliver stone are on it. ]

what's this ... the scope of the infamous 'far left'?

[curse914]

Yes, it is vaaaaast and far reaching in its conspiratorial nature.

Since the liberal Straw man supports Chavez, then everyone who is not an Evangelical Christian must be a Chavez supporter.

[larry0304]

Yep, let's just stop all deep water drilling and leave those million barrels a day in Alaska so we can be threatened by pis$ ants like Chavez.

Gotta love those environmentalists who screw us at every turn. Although somehow those same environmentalists turn a deaf ear when Obama's big backer George Soros invests millions in Petrobas for deep water drilling.

Can you say HYPOCRITES???????????????

[bobnjersey]

[Yep, let's just stop all deep water drilling and leave those million barrels a day in Alaska so we can be threatened by pis$ ants like Chavez]

hey larry ... do you another brother named larry?

why don't you spell out the numbers for us ... how any amount of drilling ... in alaska ... in deepwater ... or for a root canal ... will satisfy our demand?

can you say ignorant?

[bobnjersey]

[@BJ: Darryl, another brother named Darryl, when you throw rocks from a glass house make sure the window is open]

no originality ... no applicability ... and no numbers.

another loser who has nothing but shallow snipes at those who think different from them.

i'm surprised there's no disparaging remarks about new jersey ... or are you saving that for later?

put your numbers on the table ... or $tfv.

[treshuebos]

Anyone besides me notice that ol' Hugo is getting really fat? The life of a dictator is starting to show.. Maybe high cholesterol will catch up with him soon.. Anyway. The answer to America's oil woes lies in opening up the Artic fields to harvest our own oil, Shut down all vulnerable offshore drilling rigs run by inept businesses/regulators AND really devote our American know-how to developing alternative energy that is real. The resulting immediate effects will be a cleaner shoreline enviornment with Americans being able to continue their livelihoods without the prospect of having to go bankrupt and losing everything. If any bunnyhugger wants to cry about Alaska, I say rather up there where no significiant population lives than where a large population lives in the lower 48..

[chelokee]

Chavez you are a dork and you can kiss my red, white and blue rear end.

[curse914]

Did one of your buddies paint the flag on your hind end? Is it "not gay" as long as it is patriotic?

[mrjustice1]

BOYCOTT CITGO, CITY SERVICE AND ALL VENEZUELAN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

It's long overdue that we rid this enemy fascist dictator.

Please do not support any of Hugo Chavez's oil business, or other of his country's businesses and services that support him.

Support the opposition in Venezuela that is being suppressed by dictator Hugo Chavez.