The government of the Netherlands Antilles has announced the last-minute cancellation of a visit by a delegation from Venezuela

On Tuesday, Venezuela's Deputy Latin America and Caribbean Minister Francisco Arias Cárdenas and the head of the country's PdVSA state oil company Asdrúbal Chávez announced they intended to visit the Netherlands Antilles the following day.

However, on Wednesday, Emily de Jongh-Elhage, the prime minister of the Netherlands Antilles, said the visit could not go ahead. She regretted the cancellation and explained that she hoped to re-schedule the visit for next month.

The Netherlands Antilles government has repeatedly requested a meeting with the head of PdVSA. The Venezuelan oil company rents an old Shell oil refinery on Curaçao and the rental agreement expires in 2019.

Relations between the Netherlands Antilles and Venezuela have been tense since comments made by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez last month. He accused the United States and the Dutch government of preparing for an invasion of Venezuela from the Caribbean islands. Ms de Jongh-Elhage denies the cancellation of the Venezuelan visit has anything to do with that dispute.

photo: Netherlands Antilles capital Willemstad (flickr / Jessica Bee)