The United States has expelled two Venezuelan diplomats in retaliation for last week’s move by Venezuela, which ordered two U.S. military attaches to leave the South American oil exporting country, a U.S. official said on Monday.
The official, who declined to be identified, said that in response to Venezuela’s action, the United States declared Second Secretary Orlando Jose Montanez Olivares and consular officer Victor Camacaro Mata to be persona non grata.
“We have received word from the Venezuelan Embassy that they have departed the United States,” said the official.
Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced the expulsion of the two U.S. military attaches on Tuesday, hours before he told the world that Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's long-time and stridently anti-American leader, had died.
Maduro, Chavez’s chosen successor, said on Tuesday one of the expelled U.S. diplomats tried to stir up a military plot against Chavez. He also said Chavez’s cancer was an attack by Venezuela’s enemies — an accusation Washington deemed absurd.
The U.S. Embassy in Caracas has been without an ambassador since 2010, when Chavez rejected the U.S. appointee. That led Washington to revoke the credentials of Venezuela’s ambassador.
President Barack Obama issued a statement shortly after Chavez’s death was announced, expressing an interest in a “constructive relationship” in the post-Chavez era. But analysts said Washington would be challenged to figure out a way to engage with Venezuelan leaders and the opposition without appearing to meddle in the South American oil-producing nation.
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