In reply to a letter Venezuelan ambassador to the United States Bernardo Álvarez sent him last July 6th in connection with the reliability of Venezuelan oil supply to the US, Richard Lugar, Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, forwarded a communication to Álvarez dated in Washington on July 18th.

In his letter, Lugar agrees with Álvarez as to the significance of Venezuelan oil supply for the United States and the global energy markets.

However, the US Senator reminded that his major motivation to order the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to prepare a report entitled "Issues Related to Potential Reductions in Venezuelan Oil Production" was President Hugo Chávez' open threats to suspend oil sales to the US or shut down refineries owned by Citgo -the US refining branch of Venezuelan state oil holding Pdvsa.

"While it is not in the interest of any of our countries that Venezuela ceases oil exports to the United States, I am concerned about President Chávez' repeated threats and his irresponsible rhetoric against private investors in Venezuela. Such a behavior logically forces US lawmakers to question whether Venezuela will continue to be a reliable energy partner."

He added that the US administration has a responsibility to take Chávez' threats seriously and use all diplomatic means to dissuade any Venezuelan Government move that may hit the US and create contingency plans. "I believe the GAO report is a timely report, especially in the light of the current turmoil in oil-producing regions." Lugar said.

In Lugar's view, Chávez threats to cut oil exports to the US, as well as the "likely political manipulation of Venezuelan stake in US-based oil refineries," and the Venezuelan plans to diversify oil exports raise serious questions about the reliability of the Venezuelan oil supply.