US Warns It May Seek New Oil Suppliers to Replace Venezuela

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 09, 2003

US Warns It May Seek New Oil Suppliers to Replace Venezuela

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The United States could seek new suppliers of crude oil if the ongoing strike in Venezuela continues, a senior official of the US State Department, was quoted as saying by the Caracas daily, El Nacional, on Wednesday.

The source indicated the US government had aired this possibility to prompt contact between the administration of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the opposition to bring about

a political solution to the general strike. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States consumed nearly 1.5 million barrels of Venezuelan oil a day, but was no longer receiving this share, the source said. That meant the supply had to be sought elsewhere.

This is the firmest ever threat from Washington, coming when negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition -- the latter headed by prominent businessmen and trade union leaders -- are at a standstill.

Historical and strategic energy relations between the US and Venezuela could be damaged by the lasting general strike, he warned.

Venezuela is the only Latin American member of the Organization

of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the world's fifth largest oil exporter. It provides 13 percent of US crude oil imports.

Opposition groups and trade unions launched the general strike on Dec. 2 to demand the resignation of Chavez, accusing him of plunging the country into a severe economic recession. The strike has affected Venezuela's oil exports and led to a surge of oil prices on world markets.

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