Venezuela's Chavez says US ambassador must leave

Venezuela's Chavez says US ambassador must leave
By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER

Associated Press
September 11, 2008

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXp7kZBY1LarAJ4_qn0KwWPOwznQD934RE700

CARACAS, Venezuela < President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. ambassador has 72
hours to leave Venezuela and that he's recalling his ambassador from
Washington.

Chavez said Thursday night that he is asking U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy
to leave in part to show solidarity with Bolivian President Evo Morales, who
expelled Washington's envoy in La Paz.

"They're trying to do here what they were doing in Bolivia," Chavez said.

"That's enough ... from you, Yankees," he said, using an expletive.

The socialist leader said Venezuela's ambassador to Washington, Bernardo
Alvarez, would return to the U.S. "when there's a new government in the
United States."

The move by Chavez brings relations with Washington to a new low and raises
questions about whether the diplomatic clash could eventually hurt trade.
Venezuela is a major oil supplier to the United States, which is the
country's No. 1 client.

Chavez announced the decision during a televised speech, hours after saying
his government had detained a group of alleged conspirators in a plot to
overthrow him.

Chavez accused the group of current and former military officers of trying
to assassinate him with backing from the United States. He didn't offer
evidence.

U.S. officials have repeatedly denied Chavez's accusations that Washington
has backed plots against him.

Asked about Chavez's remarks, U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Jennifer Rahimi said:
"We saw the speech and we're investigating, but we haven't seen anything
official."

Chavez warned last month that Duddy could soon be "packing his bags" after
the diplomat lamented that U.S. and Venezuelan officials have not been
cooperating in the war on drugs.

Duddy has said that deteriorating diplomatic relations between Caracas and
Washington were giving drug smugglers the upper hand.