Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez seems to have misunderstood a new European Union migration law

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez seems to have misunderstood a new European Union migration law, EU leaders said today after the head of the energy-rich nation threatened to stop selling them oil. The 27-nation bloc agreed this week that illegal immigrants can be detained for up to 18 months and face a re-entry ban of up to five years. Yesterday, Chavez said the rules were ''shameful'' and said he might cancel investments in the South American country made by European countries that enact them as well as stop their oil shipments. Spain's prime minister said Madrid was prepared to explain the new law ''so that the EU's relationship with all Latin American countries remains positive.'' ''Maybe we need to explain exactly to the president of Venezuela what this directive (EU law) consists of,'' Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said at a two-day EU summit. ''There have been many interpretations of this directive... that have nothing to do with what it really is,'' he said.