Venezuela troops to block food smuggling to Colombia

CARACAS Jan 22 (Reuters) - Venezuela has sent 1,200 troops to the border with Colombia to prevent food from being smuggled out of the country, a Venezuelan general said, the latest step in President Hugo Chavez's campaign to stem food shortages.

Gen. Luis Motta said on Tuesday said the movements were not meant to be seen as military operation against Colombia, despite continued diplomatic tension between the two countries.

"The border with Colombia has been reinforced with 1,200 National Guard troops to prevent the illegal removal of food to the neighboring country," Motta told state news agency ABN late on Monday.

Price controls, which businesses say have caused the shortage, make it profitable to buy products in Venezuela at regulated prices and resell them in Colombia.

But Chavez says increased demand on the part of the poor combined with smuggling and hoarding by unscrupulous businesses are to blame for the problem.

The government on Monday launched a new state food distributor in an effort to to boost the supply of products like chicken and eggs.

Chavez and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe have exchanged barbs in recent months over Chavez' efforts to broker the release of Colombians held by hostage by leftist rebel groups.

Venezuela withdrew its ambassador to Colombia last year after Uribe pushed Chavez out of hostage talks. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero and Patricia Rondon, Writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)