Chavez Threatens to Expel U.S. Ambassador

[havanagilla]

Chavez Threatens to Expel U.S. Ambassador By NATALIE OBIKO PEARSON, Associated Press Writer <br>1 hour, 1 minute ago<br> <br><br><br>CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. ambassador was "provoking the Venezuelan people" and threatened Sunday to expel the American diplomat, whose convoy was chased by pro-government protesters. <br><br>ADVERTISEMENT<br> <br>"I'm going to throw you out of Venezuela if you continue provoking the Venezuelan people," Chavez said in a nationally televised speech addressed to U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield.<br><br>Venezuela's acting foreign minister on Saturday condemned the crowd of protesters for pelting Brownfield's car with eggs and tomatoes, but suggested that Brownfield is partially responsible for failing to advise authorities of his travel plans in order to avert such problems.<br><br>Chavez's more incendiary comments came after Washington warned of "severe diplomatic consequence" if a similar incident repeats itself.<br><br>"If the Washington government takes some measure against Venezuela motivated by provocations, you will be responsible, you will have to leave here, sir. I will declare you persona non grata in Venezuela," Chavez responded Sunday.<br><br>Chavez accused Washington of seeking to escalate tensions and "looking for another incident."<br><br>Chavez said Brownfield was partially responsible for the incident for failing to advise the local mayor's office or the foreign ministry of his travel plans.<br><br>The U.S. embassy in Caracas had no immediate response to the president's comments.<br><br>Brownfield had visited a ballpark in Caracas' Catia slums, a Chavez stronghold, to donate baseball equipment to a youth league.<br><br>The response to his visit Friday was the third time in three weeks that Brownfield has been met by protests. Earlier, demonstrators burned tires and torched an American flag.<br><br>The State Department said the incident Friday "clearly was condoned by the local government," with local officials handing out snacks to perpetrators at the stadium. U.S. officials accused police of doing nothing, saying a single city police car stayed well behind the convoy while motorcyclists pounded and kicked the ambassador's car.<br><br>The Caracas mayor's office denied involvement,<br><br>Chavez says the United States of plotting against him, an accusation American officials deny. The United States, however, has said Chavez is stifling democracy.<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[friend catcher]

Chavez is due in London some time soon and will be welcomed by the London Mayor, Ken Livingstone who knows his audience and rarely ducks a Bush bashing. His welcome by the UK gov't will not be as warm.<br>I think that US ambassadors, being political appointments, tend to do things with a purpose and entering a known Chavez stronghold is for a purpose. I suspect the story with some still photo's of a soiled car will be all thats seen as this would look humiliating on tape and harder to spin. <p></p><i></i>