Official: U.S. wants to buy Venezuela oil

The United States wants to continue buying oil from Venezuela, the American ambassador said Wednesday amid ongoing tensions between the two governments.

“Let’s hope we can maintain this relationship because it is in the interest of my country as well as of Venezuela,” U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield told reporters during a visit to the western city of Maracaibo.

President Hugo Chavez, a fierce Washington critic, has frequently threatened to cut off oil exports to the U.S. if it invades Venezuela. U.S. officials say they have no such plans.

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