CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela will withdraw its  ambassador from Colombia and freeze relations with its Andean  neighbour, President Hugo Chavez said yesterday, following days  of accusations over troop buildups and alleged arms supplies.

“I’ve ordered to withdraw our ambassador from Bogota, to  withdraw our diplomatic personnel,” the Venezuelan leader said  in a televised Cabinet meeting.
“We will freeze relations with Colombia,” he added.

There was no immediate comment from the Colombian  government.
The move ratchets up tensions in the Andean region, which  had been pushed to the brink of armed conflict when Venezuela  moved troops to its border with Colombia after Bogota bombed a  rebel camp in Ecuador in March 2008.

The announcement came a day after Colombia said weapons  bought by Venezuela in Sweden had made their way to FARC  rebels, who have been fighting the Bogota government for more  than four decades.

Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said on Monday  his government is investigating how the anti-tank weapons found  their way to the FARC — the Revolutionary Armed Forces of  Colombia.
Chavez said the accusation was unfounded and a “big  manipulation.”