Chavez warns of US war against Venezuela

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has renewed his charges that the US and Colombia have sealed a "devil's pact" to wage war against Venezuela.

For the second time in little over a week, Chavez called for his military and the country's militia to prepare for war to protect the sovereignty of Venezuela against the threat posed by the US using Colombian soil.

"I am not calling for war. The party provoking war is the imperial Yankee. It is my duty to call all Venezuelans to prepare for the struggle to defend this fatherland," Chavez said on Friday, Dpa reported.

Chavez is furious over last month's signing of a military cooperation deal between Bogota and Washington granting the US the use of seven military bases on Colombian soil.

Colombia and the US signed the pact in late October. The agreement allows for a maximum of 800 US military personnel and 600 contractors in Colombia. Prior to the deal, there were anywhere from 71 to 210 US military officers in Colombia.

Chavez also warned that US President Barack Obama was traveling "the same path" as former US president George W. Bush.

He called Colombian President Alvaro Uribe a "traitor" who has signed over Colombian Sovereignty to the "imperial" power of the US.

"We are obligated to protect the fatherland of Simon Bolivar," Chavez said, referring to the famous hero of the South American independence movement.

Chavez reassured that Venezuela would never attack anyone else, "but we are prepared to defend ourselves, and it will be costly for the aggressor."