CARACAS, Feb 18: Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has warned he was taking potential steps to cut off oil shipments to the United States, in the event Washington goes too far campaigning against his elected leftist rule.

“The US government must know that if it crosses the line, it won’t be getting Venezuelan oil,” the leftist leader cautioned on Friday.

Chavez, who did not clarify how Washington might incur such a sanction, apparently was reacting to Thursday’s call by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for an international “united front” against Venezuela.

“I have to say that I’ve begun taking steps on the matter, but I won’t tell you what they are,” Chavez told a meeting of pensioners in Caracas.

“They think I can’t take these steps, because we won’t know where to place our oil. Aha! That’s where they are wrong,” Chavez said.—AFP