Spanish dilomatic sources have refuted a claim made last night by Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, who claimed that Prince Felipe would convey a personal message from his father, King Juan Carlos, when they coincide in Buenos Aires next Monday at the investiture of new Argentinian president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

As the Spanish government continues in its efforts to mend fences following the embarrassing spat at the Ibero-American summit in Chile last month, Foreign Affairs minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, spoke yesterday with the Venezuelan ambassador in Madrid, Toro Hardy to pass on the congratulations of the Spanish government and King Juan Carlos for the way that Mr Chávez has handled his narrow defeat in last Sunday's constitutonal reform referendum.

However, there are no plans for a formal meeting between Prince Felipe and Mr Chávez next Monday, although they will inevitably bump into each other. Since the Santiago summit last month, Mr Chávez has threatened to break off diplomatic relations with Spain completely and has also threatened to nationalise Spanish companies operating in Venezuela, unless he receives an apology from the Spanish monarch for telling him to shut up for constantly interrupting president Zapatero as he was defending the reputation of former Spanish president, José María Aznar, whom Mr Chávez has reiteratedly accused of being a 'fascist'.

Chávez threatens to nationalise Spanish banks
By: thinkSPAIN
Saturday, December 1, 2007

During a rally in Caracas yesterday, Venezuela president, Hugo Chávez, theatened "action" against Spanish companies operating in Venezuela unless King Juan Carlos apologises for telling him to shut up at the end of an Ibero-American summit in Chile last month.

"The only way, I repeat again, to mend relations with Spain, the Spanish government, Spanish companies ... and I've got a list, is for the King of Spain to say sorry for attacking the Venezuelan head of state," insisted Mr Chávez, who went on to threaten that, unless an apology is forthcoming, he wants "nothing to do with the Spanish government."

"I'll start thinking about possible sanctions," he continued. Referring to national banks acquired in the past by Spanish companies, Mr Chávez then threatened: "I'd have no problem in reclaiming them, nationalising them and putting them to the service of the people ... no problem at all."

Speaking at the final rally ahead of tomorrow's national referendum about constitutional changes that would enable a president to govern for more than the current two-term limit, Mr Chávez went on to threaten to close down TV stations, deport foreign journalists and halt petrol exports to the USA if Sunday's vote goes against him, sparking the military coup Mr Chávez fears is being plotted against him by local radical opposition parties supported by the US government.

Chávez to 'freeze' relations until royal apology received
By: thinkSPAIN
Monday, November 26, 2007

It seems that the government's efforts to smooth things over with Venezuela are failing after president Chávez announced yesterday that he will "freeze" diplomatic relations with Spain until he receives a personal apology from King Juan Carlos, who told him to "shut up" at an Ibero-American summit in Chile recently.

Also announcing similar measures against Colombia over contacts between Mr Chávez and FARC rebel leaders, the left-wing leader said: "It's like the situation with Spain. Until the King of Spain apologises, I'm freezing relations with Spain, because here there's dignity ... dignity."

Referring to the incident three days ago, Mr Chávez said: "He must recognise that he was wrong. He has the moral, human and political obligation to offer his excuses."

Chávez demands royal apology
By: thinkSPAIN
Saturday, November 17, 2007

During a televised interview yesterday, Hugo Chávez said that he was waiting for King Juan Carlos to "apologise" for the incident at the recent Ibero-American summit: "The very least that the dignity of the independent state of Venezuela might expect from the King of Spain is that he recognises that he overstepped the mark, and did something inappropriate," he said, having earlier stated that he does not want the relationship between the two countries "to keep getting any worse."

"I did nothing wrong, Mr Zapatero, what I did was to reflect on an historical incident," continued Mr Chávez, who went on to blame Spanish Foreign Affairs minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, and the Spanish media for "adding fuel to the fire" by saying that Venezuela started the confrontation "instead of saying 'okay, this is a regrettable incident, but there will not be any consequences'."

For her part, government first vice-president, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, insisted that the king would continue to play the same role in Spain's foreign policy, before saying: "With Venezuela, the best thing to do is turn the page and look forward."

Moratinos struggles to contain Chávez crisis
By: thinkSPAIN
Thursday, November 15, 2007

Spanish Foreign Affairs minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, criticised the "persistent declarations" of Venezuela president, Hugo Chávez, which, he said, "are not helping to put the Santiago de Chile disagreement behind us."

Mr Moratinos was speaking to journalists at the Congress building in Madrid yesterday after Mr Chávez announced on TV that he would be subjecting both Venezuela's relationship with Spain, as well as the activities of all Spanish companies operating in Venezuela, to a "detailed inspection."

Mr Chávez has also said that he is still waiting to hear "the king's excuses" for the reprimand delivered during the closing session of last week's summit, and has attacked president Zapatero for defending the "fascist Aznar" on the absurd premise that he was democratically elected, pointing out that, in his day, Adolf Hitler had been democratically elected by the German people.

Mr Moratinos stressed that the Spanish government's intention is to maintain "a very good relationship" with Venezuela, and will continue to "make every effort" to preserve and consolidate it. "But the government continues to demand respect, respect and respect for Spanish institutions and companies, in the same way that we respect Venezuelan institutions and companies," concluded the minister, who refused to answer any questions.

Moratinos strives to diffuse summit spat crisis
By: thinkSPAIN
Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The Spanish government said yesterday that there are no plans to recall Spain's ambassador in Caracas in the wake of the Ibero-American summit spat involving president Zapatero, King Juan Carlos and Hugo Chávez last Saturday. Indeed, a Moncloa Palace insider has confirmed that Foreign Affairs minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos (photo, right), is anxious to begin rebuilding bridges with Venezuela as soon as possible.

In an attempt to calm the situation, Mr Moratinos hopes to speak first with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, with a view to opening a direct dialogue with Hugo Chávez himself at the earliest opportunity.

Resisting demands announced yesterday by Partido Popular spokesman, Angel Acebes, to recall the ambassador in protest at the serious and continual verbal assaults on former party leader, José María Aznar, the government is resolved, instead, to attempt to diffuse the situation to protect the interests of the 300,000 Spaniards living in Venezuela, as well as those of a number of Spanish-owned companies - such as Repsol, Telefónica, BBVA and Santander - with substantial investments in the country.

Angry king tells Chávez to 'shut up'
By: thinkSPAIN
Sunday, November 11, 2007

The Ibero-American summit ended yesterday under the cloud of an extraordinary exchange involving Spanish president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, King Juan Carlos and Venezuela and Nicaragua presidents, Hugo Chávez and Daniel Ortega respectively.

Reiterating the accusation that former Spanish president, José María Aznar, is a "fascist," then constantly interrupting Mr Zapatero as he leapt to the defence of his former political sparring partner, King Juan Carlos finally lost patience with the outspoken Venezuelan socialist, telling him to "shut up" while pointing angrily.

When Mr Ortega joined in, criticising the Spanish embassy for interfering in Nicaraguan politics, the Spanish Head of State stood up and left as summit hostess, Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, was forced to intervene to restore order.

It was left to Mr Zapatero to defend his predecessor on the grounds that Mr Aznar was elected democratically by a majority of the people of Spain and therefore demands respect.

Mr Aznar has since phoned both Mr Zapatero and King Juan Carlos to thank each of them for their support.

22 countries were taking part in the 17th Ibero-American summit, the main objective of which had been to foster "social cohesion."

Earlier Mr Zapatero had announced that the Spanish government would invest $1,500 US dollars in a scheme to guarantee fresh water supply to some of the region's poorest areas and that a humanitarian outpost would be set up in Panama to enable Spain to distribute aid more rapidly when dealing with future crises such as the recent hurricanes and floods that have affected the Caribbean and Mexico.