(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez froze diplomatic relations with Colombia late Tuesday, citing verbal aggressions from the neighboring South American country.



Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro speaks to journalists on Monday in Caracas.



The televised announcement followed declarations from the Colombian government Monday that anti-tank weapons purchased by Venezuela ended up in the hands of the guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC. In addition, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said the guerrillas were trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles. Venezuela received a shipment of Russian SA-24 Igla shoulder-fired missiles earlier this year and showed them off at military parade in April.



Chavez recalled Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia, as well as most of the embassy's staff.



"Leave only the lowest functionaries," he said.



Chavez also threatened to take over Colombian companies operating in Venezuela if Colombia offends Venezuela one more time.



Colombia's claims are "mistaken," added Chavez, who called the country's leaders "irresponsible."



There was no immediate reaction from the Colombian government.



Tuesday's developments came one day after Chavez signed a military agreement with Russia to buy enough BMP-3 armored fighting vehicles and T-72 tanks to double the nation's inventory, according to the Jane's Defense Weekly publication. Chavez said he will use the tanks in his "Western Shield Plan" on the border with Colombia.



Tensions between the two countries have been high since March 2008, when Chavez ordered tanks to the border in response to a Colombian attack on FARC bases in Ecuador. More recently, Chavez has severely criticized Uribe for entering into negotiations to allow the United States to open military bases in Colombia.



The United States says it needs the bases because Ecuador has ordered the closing of a U.S. installation there. Chavez accuses the United States of wanting the bases so it can attack Venezuela.



Analysts say Chavez's actions toward Colombia are tied to his feelings toward the United States.



"Chavez hates the United States and he wants to lead a group of countries that don't pay attention to the United States," said Myles Frechette, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia from 1994-97. "Uribe is a guy who is in tune with the United States."



Frechette notes that "Colombia and Venezuela have complementary economies" and could sell more goods to each other under better conditions.



Jennifer McCoy, director of the Americas Program at the Carter Center, makes the same point.



"It's a conflict between two ideologies between two countries that are mutually dependent on each other," she said.



The latest dust-up started Monday, when Colombia accused Venezuela of selling arms to the FARC.



Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said army troops had found AT-4 shoulder-fired grenades in recent raids on jungle camps used by the FARC.



"This is not the first time that this happens," Santos said. "In several operations in which we have recovered weapons from the FARC, we have found powerful munitions and powerful equipment, including anti-tank weapons, from a European country that sold them to Venezuela and that turned up in the hands of the FARC."



The guerrillas were trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles, Uribe said. Analysts say that could change the guerrilla war's dynamics.



"The AT-4 is much less of a heavy weapon, but surface-to-air missiles would give the FARC a much greater military capability," said Anna Gilmour, senior America's analyst for the Jane's Country Risk consultancy group.



Uribe said Monday that must not be allowed to happen.



"The international community must help us," he said. "These bandits have historically been able to rely on many sources for armaments. We have found out through intelligence that they are now looking to buy surface-to-air weapons to use against our airplanes."



Venezuelan officials denied any involvement.



"To me it seems that this is a new attack against our government based on lies," Venezuelan Minister of the Interior and Justice Tareck El Aissami said at a news conference Monday. "We absolutely deny
Who called the ambassador? who did venezuela recall Who threatened to take over columbian firms? What does Chavez threaten? What does Venezuala recall? What did Columbia claim? what has president chavez threatened who ended up with the weapons
Chavez ambassador to Colombia, Hugo Chavez to take over Colombian companies operating in Venezuela Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia, as well as most of the embassy's staff. guerrillas were trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles. to take over Colombian companies operating in Venezuela if Colombia offends Venezuela in the hands of the guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC.
question: Who called the ambassador?, answer: Chavez | question: who did venezuela recall, answer: ambassador to Colombia, | question: Who threatened to take over columbian firms?, answer: Hugo Chavez | question: What does Chavez threaten?, answer: to take over Colombian companies operating in Venezuela | question: What does Venezuala recall?, answer: Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia, as well as most of the embassy's staff. | question: What did Columbia claim?, answer: guerrillas were trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles. | question: what has president chavez threatened, answer: to take over Colombian companies operating in Venezuela if Colombia offends Venezuela | question: who ended up with the weapons, answer: in the hands of the guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC.