US, Venezuela oust ambassadors over spat

WASHINGTON - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dared the US to expel his ambassador in retaliation for his move to reject the US envoy to the South American country.

On Wednesday, that's just what the Obama administration did.

Chavez issued his dare a day earlier, saying he would not allow the US diplomat, Larry Palmer, to be ambassador because the US official made what Chavez described as blatantly disrespectful remarks about Venezuela.