There is still no end in sight to the rift between the Dominican Republic and its neighbor to the south, according to Venezuelan ambassador Francisco Belisario, who was summoned to Caracas by President Hugo Chavez amidst allegations that the Dominican government was involved in the activities of the Venezuelan opposition in exile. “Relations remain tense and we are engaged in dialogue aimed at solving the crisis,” Belisario told reporters yesterday, after emerging from a meeting with Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel. Oil exports from Venezuela were suspended in August as a result of the dispute. Belisario said that while he did not wish to harm the Dominican people, “what we have on the table are accusations of conspiracy and assassination.” He did not think that the crisis would lead to a total breakdown of relations between the two countries, but felt the solution to be tied in to “the defense of Venezuelan democracy, which is not negotiable.” This means that allegations that Venezuelan opposition figures based in the Dominican Republic were plotting to assassinate President Chavez with the complicity of the Dominican authorities would have to be investigated “to the last detail.” The Venezuelans have concrete proof of these accusations, said Belisario, who also referred to full-page advertisements placed in the Listin Diario newspaper in which former Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez, who resides in the Dominican Republic, openly stated his intention to depose Chavez before the end of this year. The reported threat to have Venezuelan diplomatic personnel in Santo Domingo declared “persona non-grata” by the Dominican authorities would only complicate matters further, according to Belisario.