The Venezuelan dictator has decided to threaten actions that clearly violate centuries of international law and custom.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened to jail diplomats and close refineries belonging to the U.S. unit of the state oil company in an escalating war of words with the President George W. Bush.

U.S. diplomats continue to engage in espionage in his country, Chavez told hundreds of thousands of supporters today during a government rally commemorating the 14th anniversary of his abortive coup attempt in 1992 against former President Carlos Andres Perez. He said he would jail U.S. diplomats caught spying, while challenging the U.S. to break diplomatic ties.

The two countries exchange tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats earlier this week. Chavez expelled the U.S. naval attache to Caracas on Feb. 2, which was followed the next day by Washington declaring a Venezuelan diplomat persona non grata.

``If the government of the U.S. wants to break relations with Venezuela, and they take the decision, it would cost me nothing to order the closure of the refineries we have in the U.S.,'' Chavez said. ``Then we will see where (the price of) oil will go, or a gallon of gasoline. It would cost me nothing to sell oil to other countries in the world.''

Come on, Hugo, just try it.

The US will simply seize the refineries, and we still have enough members of the US military available to rescue our jailed diplomats AND take you into custody for trial in the United States for the violation of the US Embassy (which is legally US terrirory).

And lest Hugo does not understand my English, how about some Spanish -- Chingate, cabron.

Posted by: Greg at 03:13 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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