Venezuela will not take immediate action against the United States in response to sanctions on its oil company PDVSA, President Hugo Chavez said late Tuesday after several days of marches against the "imperialist" American measure.

"Our actions will depend on the actions they keep taking," Chavez said in his first appearance since Washington imposed mainly symbolic sanctions a week ago to punish Venezuela for sending shipments of a gasoline additive to Iran.

"We have an infinity of cards up our sleeves but have not played any of them," he said.