Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his nation wants to continue providing oil to the United States, but could cut off that supply if the United States tried to "hurt" his country.

Mr. Chavez told reporters during a visit to India that Venezuela would not avoid supplying oil to the United States unless the U.S. government displays "any aggression" against Venezuela. He did not elaborate.

Venezuela is one of the largest suppliers of oil to the United States, but relations between the nations have been tense since the left-leaning Mr. Chavez took office in 1999.

Mr. Chavez has strong ties with Cuba's Fidel Castro and has accused the Bush administration of trying to remove him from office.