The United States has ordered the expulsion of a senior Venezuelan envoy in a tit-for-tat move that has drawn criticism from Caracas. Venezuela attacked the US decision to expel its diplomat on Friday as "disproportionate and incongruous".
| Disproportionate? Some newbie in the front office making statements? |
On Thursday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced the expulsion of a US naval attaché for spying - a charge the US described as "baseless".
Friday saw US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack announce that Jeny Figueredo Frias, chief of staff to Venezuela's ambassador, must leave the country within 72 hours. Mr McCormack said the move was a direct response to the action taken against Capt Correa, and Ms Frias was "the most appropriate" choice. "We don't like to get into tit-for-tat games like this with the Venezuelan government, but they initiated this and the US chose to respond," Mr McCormack said. |