Washington Accuses Chávez Aides of Drugs Link to Farc Rebels

The United States yesterday ramped up a row with President Hugo Chávez by imposing sanctions on senior Venezuelan officials it accused of aiding Colombian rebels and drug traffickers.

The move came a day after Chávez said he was expelling the US ambassador for supporting an alleged coup attempt by Venezuelan military officers. "Go to hell a hundred times, fucking Yankees," the self-styled socialist revolutionary told a televised rally.

Chávez said expelling Patrick Duddy was an act of solidarity with his ally President Evo Morales, who on Wednesday booted out the US ambassador to Bolivia, Philip Goldberg, claiming he supported secessionist opposition groups.

The US retaliated by expelling the Bolivian and Venezuelan ambassadors to Washington and pouring scorn on South America's radical leftist presidents. "This reflects the weakness and desperation of these leaders," said a state department spokesman.

Separately, the US treasury accused three members of Chávez's inner-circle of materially assisting the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), leftist guerrillas who traffick cocaine and are considered terrorists by the US and EU. Hugo Carvajal Barrios and Henry Rangel Silva are senior intelligence officials and Ramón Rodríguez Chacin was interior minister until this week when he unexpectedly resigned, citing personal reasons.

Venezuela's government acknowledges talking to Farc to negotiate hostage releases but denies funneling weapons or drug money.

Visiting Britain this week, the US drugs czar, John Walters, repeated claims that Venezuela and Bolivia were taking over from Colombia in the export of cocaine.

"Venezuela is becoming a real super-highway for cocaine," said Walters. There had been a "four-fold" increase in the flow through Venezuela in five years.

Chávez said the drug accusations were part of a thwarted coup plot by factions within his military. Several officers were detained but details remained sketchy.

Meanwhile, Bolivia continued to reel from clashes between groups for and against Morales' government which left eight people dead and 20 injured.