CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday announced his country broke off the diplomatic relations with Colombia.

"For dignity we do not have other option but to sever diplomatic ties with Colombia," Chavez said after Colombia presented to the Organization of American States (OAS) the accusations about the alleged presence of Colombian guerrilla chiefs in Venezuelan territory.

At the moment of the announcement, Chavez had a meeting with Argentine soccer coach and former player Diego Maradona, at the Miraflores Palace, headquarters of the Venezuelan government.