Chávez recalls ambassador; stops oil shipment to Paraguay

"I have recalled our ambassador to Asunción (the capital city of Paraguay); for he shall pack up his things and come here," Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez spat in the middle of his speech on the occasion of the 191st anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo and Army Day.

Shortly afterwards, he addressed himself to Minister of Petroleum and Mining Rafael Ramírez and instructed him to stop the supply of oil to that nation under the Caracas Energy Agreement.

"We will also take out the oil supply. We are very sorry about that, but will not support at all such a coup d'état directly or indirectly. Oil shipment shall cease from now on," President Chávez remarked at Fuerte Tiuna, during an obligatory simultaneous broadcast.

To his knowledge, deposed Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo "was presumably sued in the absence of evidence and overnight, for that matter. A pseudo, express, top-secret, unconstitutional lawsuit, and, therefore, unlawful; it is null and void."

In this regard, he underscored that as far as his government is concerned, Fernando Lugo continues being Paraguay's president, and, accordingly, he did not recognize the government of Federico Franco.

The Venezuelan leader also informed of the arrival "in short time" of 106 new Chinese drills in addition to 120 drills already in Venezuela. He also advised that a delegation departed on Saturday to Russia to execute several agreements, including one for the purchase of T72 tanks.

Translated by Conchita Delgado