U.S. ambassador
expelled from Venezuela
CARACAS, September 11.—Venezuelan President Hugo
Chávez has ordered the U.S. ambassador in Caracas,
Patrick Duddy, to leave the country within 72 hours,
a measure that was adopted in solidarity with
Bolivia, and at the same time informed Washington of
Venezuela’s decision to cut off supplies of crude
oil to that nation, the AFP reported.
"As
a gesture of solidarity with Bolivia, from this
moment on, the Yankee ambassador in Caracas has 72
hours to leave Venezuela," the president said during
an election campaign rally in Puerto Cabello, 120
kilometers west of the capital, for his party’s
candidate for regional elections in November.
The Bolivarian leader expressed his support for
Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose government is
experiencing a crisis that has been incited by
reactionary forces in the country. Morales had also
expelled Washington’s representative in La Paz,
accusing him of being behind the opposition’s
maneuvers.
Chavéz’ announcement came just hours after the
Venezuelan administration presented taped recordings
of conversations and denounced an attempted coup
d’état against Chávez, planned by active and retired
military officers with the full support of the U.S.
administration.
Likewise, the President announced that he would
halt oil sales to the United States if the Latin
American country is to become the target of an
attack by the White House.
Speaking live on television, Chávez also gave
instructions to his Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro
to arrange for the immediate return of the
Venezuelan ambassador in the United States.
The president stated that "when there is a new
government in the United States," Venezuela will
send an ambassador but as long as President Bush is
in power, Caracas will have no diplomatic
representation in that country.
The Bolivarian leader placed responsibility for
the tense situation on the U.S. government, which is
"behind all the maneuvers of political
destabilization currently underway in Latin America,"
he stated.
Translated by Granma International
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