CHÁVEZ

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP):

President Hugo Chavez on Sunday urged Venezuela's allies to form an ''anti-imperialist'' military alliance to defend Latin America from possible attacks by the United States.

Warning that Washington poses a threat to regional security, Chávez called on Nicaragua, Bolivia and communist-led Cuba to ''put together a common defence strategy and create our armed force'' a military coalition united against U.S. dominance in the region.

Respond as one

"The enemy is the same: the empire of the United States,'' Chávez said during his weekly television programme. "Anybody who messes with one of us will have to mess with all of us because we will respond as one.''

U.S. officials have denied any plan to invade Venezuela or assassinate Chávez.

The Venezuelan leader, who says he is leading the country toward ''21st century socialism,'' launched his proposal amid deteriorating relations between Venezuela and Colombia, which he claims Washington is trying to sabotage in order to isolate his government.

"We are sure the Colombian government is following the line that Washington dictates,'' Chávez said.

The South American neighbours have been locked in a diplomatic crisis since November, when Colombia's U.S.-allied president, Alvaro Uribe, ended Chávez's role mediating a hostages-for-prisoners swap with leftist Colombian guerrillas.

Chávez angered Uribe by later urging world leaders to classify the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and the smaller National Liberation Army as ''insurgents'' rather than ''terrorists'' a first step toward possible peace talks with guerrillas.

The simmering spat has brought diplomatic relations to their lowest point in year it did not keep Chavez from sending Venezuela's top diplomat to a weekend summit of South American foreign ministers in Cartagena, Colombia.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who accompanied Chavez on Sunday's program, said U.S. officials are using Colombia as a strategic pawn in ongoing efforts to counter regional integration initiatives championed by Chavez.

''This isn't just against Venezuela, it's against the integration process,'' Ortega said of alleged U.S. efforts to undermine Colombian-Venezuelan relations.