Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela President Hugo Chavez told his ambassador to return to Colombia amid a diplomatic dispute over U.S. bases in Colombia and alleged Venezuelan support for guerrillas in the country.

“There’s work to do,” Chavez said on state television during a meeting with a delegation of Colombians.

Chavez’s call for the ambassador’s return is the most public sign of thawing in relations since July 28, when Chavez said he would “freeze relations” with Venezuela’s western neighbor and pulled his ambassador.

Chavez has given multi-hour speeches on state television in each of the last three days calling for Colombia to reverse a plan to expand military cooperation with the U.S. He has also denied charges that Venezuela aided the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the country’s biggest guerrilla group, saying that Venezuelan anti-tank rocket-launchers found in a FARC camp were junk and were stolen in a FARC raid in 1995.

Chavez spoke to a group of visiting Colombians who support a negotiated end to Colombia’s civil war, led by Senator Piedad Cordoba. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe didn’t pull his ambassador from Caracas during the dispute.

To contact the reporter on this story: Steven Bodzin in Caracas at sbodzin@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 8, 2009 01:47 EDT