Chavez Threatens To Blow Up Oil Fields If America Attacks
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
ASUNCION, Paraguay – President Chavez of Venezuela on Wednesday again raised the specter of American designs to oust him and promised that his government will blow up his country’s oil fields if America should ever attack.
American officials have repeatedly denied any military plans against Mr. Chavez, but also call him a threat to stability in the region.
Speaking to other South American leaders,Mr.Chavez said his conflict with Washington is rooted in the American thirst to control oil. He said the Americans will be denied that in Venezuela, which is the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter and one of the biggest suppliers to the American market.
If America attacks, Mr. Chavez said, “We won’t have any other alternative – blow up our own oil fields – but they aren’t going to take that oil.”
Some of Mr. Chavez’s political opponents at home call his warnings about an American invasion far-fetched and contend he pursues the verbal conflict with Washington to encourage a sense of struggle against a foreign enemy as he heads toward the presidential election in December.
