CARACAS—Venezuela's left-wing president, Hugo Chavez, said on Saturday he would kick Spanish oil company Repsol out of the country if a right-wing government returns to power in Spain.
The threat was an escalation of a spat last month between Chavez and King Juan Carlos of Spain, in which the king publicly told him to "shut up" during a summit meeting held in Chile.
"If the right wins again, forget the Spanish. Forget them," Chavez told reporters. "Repsol would have to leave."
Chavez froze diplomatic ties with Spain over the king's rebuke and threatened to take over some of the investments of Spanish companies that operate in Venezuela's banking, telecommunications and oil sectors.
On Saturday Chavez said he would cut off oil shipments to the United States if the superpower interferes with a Sunday referendum on Chavez's proposal that he be allowed to remain president as long as he keeps winning elections.
Venezuela is the fourth largest exporter of oil to the United States.
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