Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez on Saturday condemned what she called "bold threats" from her Paraguayan counterpart after he announced a "total freezing of relations."

Paraguayan Foreign Minister Eladio Loizaga announced on Friday that he would not return to Caracas indefinitely over what he called "rants" by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"Venezuela will not allow itself to be threatened or succumb to the fear from those who choose to serve the empire rather than the people," Rodriguez tweeted in response. "(Loizaga's) bold threats... insult our heritage of independence and freedom."

Earlier this month, Maduro said Venezuela was being "persecuted" by "a corrupt Paraguayan oligarch and drug trafficker," referring to Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes.

Venezuela — in political and economic crisis, facing severe shortages of basic goods — has come under fire from its Latin American neighbors for allegedly failing to comply with the region's Democratic Charter, a binding document.

Earlier this week, Brazil accused Maduro of imposing an "authoritarian" regime on his country.

A group of 15 countries from the Organization of American States on Thursday called on Venezuela to act "without delay" to clear the way for an election over whether to recall Maduro from office as a way out of its mounting crisis.