The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of Colombian ambassador Fernando Marin and several of his diplomatic staff on Monday.

The statement said the decision was taken "in defense of the sovereignty and dignity of the Venezuelan people."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has put the army on high alert, ordered the closure of the nation's embassy in Colombia and sent troops to the Colombian border.

The moves came amid the regional crisis that has been brewing since Colombian forces destroyed a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) camp in Ecuador Saturday, killing 21 rebels, including Raul Reyes, regarded as the group's No.2 leader.

The incident prompted Ecuador to expel the Colombian ambassador and withdraw its own diplomats in that country.

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has deployed more troops in the border area with Colombia, and has received the promise of full support from Chavez, who also sent tanks to the Venezuelan-Colombian border.

Ecuador said Colombian forces had trespassed into its sovereign territory to attack a guerrilla camp, while Colombia insists it had acted in "legitimate self-defense."

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2008)