Venezuela could send to Cuba or China some F-16 planes previously bought from the United States, "as they are reluctant to sell us the spare parts," President Hugo Chávez said.

"Failure to perform the agreement allows for either party to waive it," Chávez cautioned during a ceremony to execute an agreement with Chinese company Wall to develop the Simón Bolívar telecommunications satellite.

"Therefore, we can do with those planes whatever we please. All of a sudden, we can send 10 planes to Cuba, or China to investigate the technology," he added.

As explained by Chávez, Venezuela has looked for spare parts elsewhere. "And they (the United States) began to exert pressure on those countries to prevent them from providing support for the F-16 maintenance."

Recently, the US government forced Israel to freeze an agreement to streamline Venezuelan F-16, AFP reported.