The US government should take care of its influence in Latin America if it is going to take unilateral actions against Venezuela in the event of proving any links between Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), said a report of the US Senate.

Some lawmakers, particularly Republicans, have requested to add the government of Chávez, an outspoken critic of Washington, to a list of countries that sponsor terrorism. A decision in this regard could lead to multiple, even economic, sanctions on Venezuela.

However, a 49-page report accessed by Reuters warns that taking such decision without the support of organizations such as the Organization of American States, could be counterproductive for the United States. The report was authored by Carl Meacham, advisor to Senator Richard Lugar, the highest ranking Republican in the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.