Hugo Chavez threatens to cut ties with Colombia

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez is preparing to break off diplomatic relations with Colombia in an escalating dispute over Bogota’s decision to grant the US military access to Colombian bases.

In a television broadcast on Tuesday night local time, Mr Chavez said there was “no possibility” of repairing ties with Colombia’s government.

“We have to prepare the rupture of relations with Colombia. This is going to happen,” Mr Chavez told Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro on the broadcast.

Colombia and the United States are negotiating an agreement that would allow the US military to increase its presence at seven Colombian bases to tackle drug trafficking and leftist guerrillas.

Mr Chavez, a fierce critic of American influence in Latin America, has said the deal will mean a US military build-up that would pose a threat to Venezuela.

His threat to cut ties with Colombia came one day before a regional summit in Argentina where South American leaders will discuss the U.S.-Colombian security agreement.

Mr Chavez has often clashed with Alvar Uribe, Colombia’s President who is Washington’s closest ally in the region.

Although they usually quickly make amends, tensions appear to run deeper this time. Mr Chavez is trying to replace imports of Colombian food and textiles with products from Brazil and Argentina.

On Wednesday, Colombia accused Mr Chavez of meddling in its internal affairs after he told his ambassador in Bogota to work with leftist leaders in the neighboring country.

The two nations shared $7 billion in trade last year.