WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhuanet) -- US President George W. Bush and his top aides are weighing a tougher approach, including funneling more money to foundations and business and political groups opposed to President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

    The Bush administration has already begun to urge Venezuela's neighbors to distance themselves from Chavez and to raise concerns about press freedoms, judicial independence and the Venezuelan government's affinity for leftist groups abroad, including Colombian guerrillas.

    But Washington has found no allies so far in its attempts to isolate the Venezuelan leader, a by-lined story in the New York Times said.

    On Sunday, Chavez ended a 35-year military cooperation agreement and ordered out four American military instructors he accused of fomenting unrest.

    The accusation, which American officials denied, was the latestblow to relations that had been bitter since the US tacitly supported a coup that briefly ousted Chavez in April 2002, the article said.

    Differences between Washington and Caracas increased constantly since Chavez took the helm of Venezuela. He openly challenges the "capitalist" and "new freedom" ideologies of the United States andopposes Washington's promotion efforts for a free trade area of the Americas.

    The United States believes the close relations Caracas has beenpursuing with countries like Cuba, Iran and Libya have formed threats to its security.

    However, the New York Times' article said that a main problem for the United States is that Washington has little, if any, influence over Caracas. The high price of oil has left Venezuela with no need for the loans or other aid that the Untied States could use as leverage. Enditem