Venezuela's president has condemned the United States as a "terrorist state" for toughening sanctions against Cuba. Hugo Chavez vowed on Sunday that his government would increase its trade and cooperation with the Communist island.
The policy includes an increase in support for internal opponents of President Fidel Castro.
"That's called state terrorism, inciting people to kill President Castro, to overthrow him, inciting violence," Chavez said.
Since he was elected in 1998, Chavez has angered the United States by forging a close relationship with Cuba - the target of a long-running US trade embargo. Venezuela is Cuba's biggest trade partner, sending cheap oil to Havana, while more than 10,000 Cuban doctors, sports instructors and other experts work in the South American country.
He said he had ordered the state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) to study the possibility of investing in an idle Soviet-built refinery at Cienfuegos on the island's south-central coast. Under a 2000 energy accord, Venezuela ships at least 53,000 barrels per day of oil to Cuba.
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