Chavez stresses state sovereignty on Independence Day
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stressed state sovereignty in a speech to mark the oil-rich South American country's Independence Day on Tuesday.

"Here the Venezuelans rule; there is no hegemonic power from any other part of the world that has to do with the sovereign decisions taken in Venezuela," he said in the speech delivered at the Legislative Palace.

He also laid emphasis on a struggle to win independence in a real term, saying his country is still in the process of independence "like 200 years ago."

"The call for independence...was valid 200 years ago and this is more valid nowadays," said Chavez.

"We have recovered our political independence, but we're far from the integral independence level nations need," he told the nation.

"Political independence has to be linked to economic independence which is much more difficult to attain; independence in our way of living; independence in the social, cultural and technological aspects," he said.

Chavez, a fierce critic of the United States, has accused the Bush administration of trying to topple his government. He also said Venezuela will remain a steady supplier of oil as long as there are no US "aggressions."

Venezuela ships nearly 1.2 million barrels of crude oil to US ports daily while many businesses in Venezuela import products made in the United States, including medicine, food and machinery.