Chavez freezes ties with Colombia

Mr Chavez accused the Colombian president of lying

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he has frozen his country's bilateral ties with neighbouring Colombia.
The move follows the decision by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to end Mr Chavez's role as a hostage negotiator with Colombia's Farc rebels.

Mr Chavez said that the decision to end his mediation role was "a spit in the face" and denounced Mr Uribe as a liar.

Mr Uribe said Mr Chavez wanted Colombia to "become the victim of the terrorist government of the Farc".

"I declare before the world that I'm putting relations with Colombia in the freezer because I've completely lost confidence with everyone in the Colombian government," said Mr Chavez during a televised speech.

"The companies that Colombians have over here, the companies we have over there - all of that will be damaged," he told his cabinet.

In announcing the "freeze" in relations with Colombia, Mr Chavez compared the situation to his recent diplomatic row with Spain, which was triggered when the Spanish King, Juan Carlos, told him to "shut up" at a summit meeting in Chile.

"It's like the case of Spain: until the king of Spain apologises, I'm freezing relations with Spain," he said.