CARACAS (Dow Jones)--President Hugo Chavez refused Monday to respond to calls by rich nations for Venezuela to forgive the debt Haiti owes it.

In the wake of a massive, deadly earthquake that hit impoverished Haiti on Jan. 12, several industrialized countries and international organizations have called for countries owed money by Haiti to write the debts off.

Haiti's debt with Venezuela is among the biggest, at $167 million, according to report at the end of 2008 from the International Monetary Fund.

"Some are using this issue to make Venezuela appear to be an insensitive country...saying it has to announce" its debt plans, Chavez said.

Venezuela "doesn't have to announce," he said.

Among those that have called for broad-based debt relief are the U.K, the Paris Club and the IMF.

"We're not the Paris Club or the IMF," Chavez said.

-By Dan Molinski, Dow Jones Newswires; (58) 414-120-5738; dan.molinski@dowjones.com