Vzla: Walking on the wild side

The Stratfor intelligence agency said in March that oil shipments to the United States were not likely to be stopped. If this eventually happened, the United States would interpret it almost as an hostile action that would unfold a massive wave of lawsuits from U.S. firms against Venezuela.

Luongo said that if the Venezuelan government ever feels that it can survive by exporting the minimum amount of oil, it might seek another market. This market might be China.

"But his substitution would take at least two years to become effective, and we would starve - yet remember that for this government, the revolution is more important than the nation's economy," he commented.

In the hypothetical case that the situation gets too tense, as Luongo said, the firms would stop negotiating, "but everything would depend on whether Venezuela is considered an enemy."

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson believes that this scenario is not that remote. Nelson spent three days in Venezuela and he did not like what he saw. ''We may reach the point where the U.S. has to treat this government as a hostile and unfriendly government to the U.S. and the U.S. interests,'' he said.

In Romero's opinion, that moment may come. "Numerous political and military voices are sounding louder and louder," she said. "The continental security problem that Chávez might represent if he manages to spread his revolution is a general concern. That is what Nelson points out. No matter how many times Venezuela argues that it is a safe supplier, something has to be done. And the Organization of American States should take a role in it."