October 1, 2013 (TSR) – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the expulsion on Monday night of three diplomats from the United States Embassy in Caracas for their involvement in acts of conspiracy against national security in conjunction with members of opposition political parties.
“We have detected and followed up on for various months a group of personnel of the US Embassy in Venezuela. These personnel meet with members of the extreme right wing in Venezuela to finance them and carry out actions to sabotage our electrical grid and economy. We have sufficient proof of their hostile, illegal and interventionist behaviors… Violating international law,” he said.
President Maduro spoke during an event with the Venezuelan Armed Forces for the bicentennial celebration of the Battle of Bárbula during the war for independence from Spain.
He said that some of the diplomats that are being expelled a complaint filed against him earlier this year for active conspiracy with regard to electricity service during the month of April, in the last presidential elections were held.
“I assume responsibility as has head of state. I cannot accept that they get involved in the internal affairs of Venezuela. In the name of the dignity of this people, which stands proudly, I ask for the complete support of the nation in this war against interventionism,” the President said.
Maduro indicated that all democratic governments around the world have the duty to reject the new model of US intervention involves supporting and arming opposition groups in countries with governments that confront imperial interests.
He thanked fellow Latin American nations for their unanimous support in repudiating a fake recording that circulated recently on social networks that tried to make it appear as though the late President Hugo Chávez is still alive.
“Out of Venezuela! Yankees go home! Enough of abuse against the dignity of a peace-loving nation,” he said.
Expulsion of Diplomats Made Official
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elías Jaua spoke about the expulsion of US diplomats on Monday night after a meeting of the Political and Military High Command of the Bolivarian Revolution the state of Falcón.
“Complying with instructions from President Nicolas Maduro, we have sent a note to the US Embassy in Venezuela making official the expulsion of the three North American civil servants,” he said.
He said that the diplomats were attempting to generate uncertainty and chaos as part of “Plan Total Collapse,” organized jointly with right wing leaders in Venezuela.
The diplomats expelled have been named as Kelly Keiderling – the charge d’affaires and the most senior US diplomat in Caracas – David Moo and Elizabeth Hoffman.
“We completely reject the Venezuelan government’s allegations of US government involvement in any type of conspiracy to destabilize the Venezuela government,” the embassy said in a statement.
Jaua said that a report on the matter by Venezuelan intelligence agencies will be made available to US Secretary of State John Kerry.
“This is illegal activity. It is a plan to destabilize the Bolivarian Revolution and democracy Venezuela,” he said.
The Sour Relationship
Venezuela is facing a shortage of several goods, including toilet paper, sugar and flour.
The opposition blames Maduro’s left-wing policies and rhetoric for the crisis.
Relations between the two countries have been bad for over a decade.
The United States and Venezuela have been without ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2010.
For years, the late President Hugo Chavez denounced “American imperialism” in Latin America.
In December 2010, Chavez denied a visa to the man appointed to be US ambassador to Caracas, Larry Palmer, over remarks he had made about involvement between the Venezuelan government and Colombian FARC rebels.
“Anyone who comes here as an ambassador has to show respect. This is a country that must be respected,” Chavez said at the time.
The US retaliated and expelled the Venezuelan ambassador to Washington.
Maduro took office as interim president when Chavez was terminally ill with cancer. He was elected president in April, by a narrow margin, defeating opposition leader Henrique Capriles.
Maduro’s new Foreign Minister, Elias Jaua, met the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, during a regional summit in Guatemala in June.
They both said they were determined to improve relations, but the good will did not last long.
Last week, Maduro cancelled his scheduled speech at the United Nations Assembly General, saying that his life would be in danger in New York.
Maduro accused two former US officials of being behind the “provocations”.
“The US government knows exactly that these people were behind a dangerous activity being plotted in New York,” he said.
