Venezuela ? Venezuelan officials said Thursday they had approved a new anti-drug agreement with the United States, months after the South American nation suspended cooperation amid allegations of U.S. spying.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez halted cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in August. He accused U.S. agents of spying, a charge the U.S. has repeatedly denied. Venezuelan officials said they would only be willing to work with the U.S. under new terms, under which the DEA would not be permitted to lead drug busts.

Chavez has had bitter relations with Washington and last year the U.S. said Venezuela had failed to effectively fight drug trafficking, and removed the nation from a list of cooperating countries.