Venezuela would stop oil to U.S. if invaded -Chavez (Chavez calls Bush an A--hole)

Reuters ^ | 02.29.04 | Pascal Fletcher

[Tailgunner Joe]

(Please note that paragraph 7 contains language that may be offensive to some readers)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned the U.S. government Sunday that if it tried to invade Venezuela or impose a trade blockade against his country, he would shut off Venezuelan oil supplies to the United States.

Although the context Chavez gave was hypothetical, it was the first time the outspoken Venezuelan leader had publicly mentioned the possibility of cutting off oil supplies to the United States.

Venezuela is among the four top suppliers of crude and oil products to the U.S. market.

The left-wing Venezuelan leader made the warning in a fiery speech to supporters in which he accused U.S. President Bush's administration of backing opposition attempts to oust him from the presidency of the world's No. 5 oil exporter.

"Mr. Bush must know that if he gets the mad idea of trying to blockade Venezuela, or, even worse, of invading Venezuela, if that happened, the people of the United States should know that not a drop of oil would reach them from Venezuela, not a drop more," Chavez told tens of thousands of cheering supporters.

Ties between Washington and Caracas have been badly strained by U.S. criticism of Chavez's rule, and his sharp condemnation of U.S. policies. But the Venezuelan government has always insisted it will remain a secure oil supplier to the United States.

In his speech, Chavez also called Bush an "asshole" for, he said, supporting a short-lived coup in 2002 that briefly toppled him.

The U.S. government has repeatedly dismissed as false and "not serious" accusations by the populist president that Washington is supporting efforts to topple him. His opponents accuse him of blocking a bid by them to secure a recall referendum against him this year.

Chavez said that if the U.S. government tried to confiscate Venezuelan oil refineries in the United States, run by the Citgo affiliate of the state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), he could do the same to U.S. oil operations in his country.

"There are plenty of American installations here," he said.

Chavez said U.S. oil magnates were manipulating Bush "like a puppet" and added the United States wanted to "get its hands on PDVSA."

The Venezuelan president has tightened his government's nationalistic political control over PDVSA since the company was rocked by a strike by employees in December 2002 and January 2003 that badly disrupted oil production and exports.

More than 18,000 PDVSA workers who joined the strike were fired by Chavez, who replaced them with soldiers and loyal personnel.

Venezuela's government says oil output has been restored to pre-strike levels of above 3 million barrels per day (bpd). But fired PDVSA managers opposed to the president say production is running well below this.

[Tailgunner Joe]

"Let's bet on who will last longer, George W. Bush, you in the White House or me in Miraflores Palace."

[AdamSelene235]

Its rumored that Chavez has has moved a Cuban bio-weapons facility to Venezuela. Chavez trades guns for dope with Columbia's FARC. Now, what better way to clandestinely and simultaneously introduce a bioweapon into America's urban centers than to spike the drug supply with a bioweapon. After all, these materials are being smuggled directly into the bloodstreams and noses of America.

[cripplecreek]

Is it just my imagination or do the worlds dictators seem rather testy lately?

[speedy]

I was thinking the same thing -- Mugabe, Castro, and now Clymer Chavez. They are sounding more like Democrats every day.

[maestro]

Is it just my imagination or do the worlds dictators seem rather testy lately?

ROTFLOL

:-)

Thanks!

:-)

[Choose Ye This Day]

"Oye, Hugo. Besa mi culo."

[marron]

More proof that Chavez is an imbecile. He can't withhold oil from the market without sinking his regime. And if it goes to market, we're fine.

The key word here is "fungible". It makes no difference who buys it. Its one market.

He reminds me of the mad king who orders the sun to rise, and sure enough, every day it does.

[jungleboy]

How bout we not invade you Amigo-rad... how bout earthquake come and destroy all your pipe-lines...

[cripplecreek]

I would add the north Korean nutcase to the list as well. Ive read that he is noticeably absent from public view these days, and has been for months. (possibly in hiding?)

[speedy]

Kim Jong-Il is a fine addition to any catalog of lunatic dictators.

[cynicom]

They saw the pics of Saddam in his spidey hole. Dictators do not want to see their possible fate.

[marron]

"Let's bet on who will last longer, George W. Bush, you in the White House or me in Miraflores Palace."

!CandyGram!

[Zeroisanumber]

Don't push the "Don't" button, Hugo.

[Prodigal Son]

Oh my. I guess the Canary Islands will be throwing down the gauntlet soon.

[The Duke]

The Texas Rangers used to have a saying..."Some people just need killin'."

[Fenris6]

What an idiot. Threatening the US is folly. He has sealed his fate with those words.

[StockAyatollah]

Great! Just the excuse the oil companies need to push gasoline to $3/gallon.

[RightthinkinAmerican]

Makes me wonder why he thinks we'd want to invade? It's the sign of a guilty conscience, and the Cuban bio-weapon theory sounds like it could be true, based on this paranoid statement.

[RightthinkinAmerican]

At least we never have to worry about threats from France. Maybe: "eef you eenvade us, ve vill hit you vith our purses and zen mince away."

[the Real fifi]

Some time ago Castro sent people in. The oil threat is foolish. He cannot stop pumping. He has to sell the oil. It will be on the world market or his country will starve to death. Are all this tinpot dictatos drinking the same koolaid this year?