Chavez threatens US oil
Saturday, 01 Dec 2007 08:40
Hugo Chavez is South America's most flamboyant president
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has upped anti-US rhetoric, threatening to cut oil supplies as a crucial referendum approaches.
Mr Chavez is seeking popular backing for a raft of constitutional changes which will allow him to keep standing for re-election indefinitely.
Polls suggest the vote will be very close and Mr Chavez has attempted to get his supporters out by alleging a CIA plot to disrupt the vote.
Troops have been deployed to protect the country's oil installations and the flamboyant leader has warned against American intervention.
He said if the US sought to influence the vote he would order his energy minister to halt oil exports to the country, warning "there won't be a drop of oil to the United States".
The US relies on Venezuela for 11 per cent of its oil supplies while 60 per cent of Venezuela's oil exports are channelled to the US, according to the AFP news agency.
Mr Chavez's radical stance against US president George Bush, whom he has described as "the devil", won him widespread support among voters.
Plans to expand social security benefits and reduce the working day to six hours are likely to maintain this but polls suggest the referendum's outcome is difficult to call.
Analysts fear political instability could escalate if the vote's close result is disputed.