BOGOTA, (Reuters) – Colombia’s government yesterday  protested against what it charged were the “expansionist” plans  of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in the latest exchange to  fuel diplomatic tensions between the Andean neighbors.

The protest came just days before a regional summit where  Chavez is expected to try to rally support against a deal to  allow the U.S. military more access to Colombian bases, a plan  that triggered worries across the region from Brazil to  Bolivia.

Former soldier Chavez often clashes with Colombia’s  President Alvaro Uribe, a U.S. ally, over charges Venezuela has  interfered in Colombia’s domestic politics and over Colombia’s  U.S.-backed war on cocaine traffickers and leftist guerrillas.

Chavez, a fierce critic of U.S. influence in the region, on  Sunday urged his government to ensure his proposals were heard  in Colombia and asked members of his socialist party to seek  out alliances with leftist Colombian politicians. He had met  with Colombian lawmakers recently in Caracas.

“The national government will repel any action of this  expansionist project in Colombia, ratified publicly by  President Hugo Chavez,” the government said in a statement. “In  no manner can we accept insults to Colombians.”

Colombia will make a formal protest before the Organization  of American States against Venezuela’s “interventionism”, the  country’s ambassador to the OAS Luis Hoyos told local radio.

Tensions between Caracas and Bogota are again rising with  Chavez accusing Bogota and Washington of aggression with their  plan to allow U.S. troops to use more Colombian military bases  for anti-narcotics and counter-insurgency operations.

Chavez has threatened to cut trade ties with Colombia. On  Sunday he ordered investigations into Colombian companies and  branded Colombia and the United States “narcostates.”

Bilateral trade between the two countries last year topped  $6 billion and coffee-producing Colombia supplies much of  Venezuelan food imports.