Caracas: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez accused the United Statesof plotting to harm Venezuela'seconomy, after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused him of doing thesame to his country.

"Condoleezza turned again to disparaging me and saidthat I am destroying the country's economy - this shows that there is now aneconomic plan against Venezuela,"he said on yesterday (Feb 14, 2007).

Rice last week said Chavez was ruining his country'sdemocratic institutions and economy, in some of her strongest comments yet against the Venezuelan leader.

"There's an assault on democracy in Venezuela, and I believe that there aresignificant human rights issues in Venezuela," Rice said at a Congressional hearing.

"I do believe that the president of Venezuela isreally, really destroying his own country economically, politically,"he said.

Chavez called Rice's comments the latest 'imperialist' attack from a 'desperate' country, and addedthat the USwas free to stop buying Venezuelan oil if it felt strongly enough.

."We have enough clients to sell petroleum to, we arenot dependent at all on the North American imperialist," Chavez said.

Relations between the two countries have grown increasingly sour in recent years. Chavez alleges Washington meddles in his country, while Washingtonbelieves he is marginalizing democracy. Chavez has also forged strong ties with US foes like Iran and North Korea.

Venezuela'sparliament, controlled by Chavez's party and his supporters, last month gaveChavez the authority to rule by decree for 18 months. Chavez has already begun implementing plans to nationalize the country's telecommunications and energy industries as part of his socialist agenda.