CARACAS, March 7 (Xinhuanet) -- An aggression against Venezuela by the United States could lead to an increase in the petroleum market to up to 100 dollars per barrel, warned Energy and Petroleum Minister Rafael Ramirez.

    During an interview broadcasted Monday by State-owned television station VTV, Ramirez, who is also President of State-run petroleumcompany PDVSA, warned that a chaos in the petroleum market would occur should an abrupt aggression took place.

    This is a situation that is being considered, and which should be considered as part of the US policy, which remains very aggressive in the Middle East, and which continues to threaten Venezuela, he added.

    Ramirez said that an aggression against Venezuela, could place the oil market in a situation of chaos with a price of 100 dollarsper barrel and would be truly a catastrophe to the world economy.

    He said Venezuela, through PDVSA, is ready to make a decision such as the suspension of the supply of petroleum to the United States and that such a measure is feasible.

    It should be made clear to all the foreign powers that Venezuela is a sovereign country, that has to be respected and that oil is a key element of its sovereignty, he added.

    President Hugo Chavez has repeatedly accused Washington, keeping evidence in reserve, of planning a supposed plan to assassinate him and carry out a military intervention against Venezuela.

    Since the installation of Chavez and US President George Bush, relations between both countries have become tense in the political aspect, although they remain dynamic in trade, speciallyin the hydrocarbons sector. Enditem