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Chavez: Evidence proves Washington murder plot, US denies
NEW DELHI - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday he had evidence that the United States was planning to assassinate him, an accusation that a U.S. official quickly denied.
In comments published Saturday by local media in Caracas, the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, William Brownfield said his country had "no plans or thoughts of assassinating either the president here or any other leader." "That would be a violation of our federal law," added Brownfield. The exchange of accusations between the left-wing Chavez and U.S. officials has reached fever pitch in recent weeks, raising questions whether the multibillion-dollar energy relationship between Washington and one of its top oil suppliers is at risk. On Friday in New Delhi, Chavez said his country would not stop supplying oil to the United States unless "the U.S. government gets a little bit crazy and tries to hurt us." U.S. Ambassador Brownfield said geographical proximity made the United States and Venezuela "natural" trade partners but added: "If the United States doesn't buy oil from Venezuela, we'll buy oil from another country, and if Venezuela doesn't sell oil to the U.S., it'll sell oil to another country." Venezuela's Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez told the Organization of American States last month that U.S. accusations against Chavez were a sign of an impending attack. Washington dismissed what it termed these "wild charges." U.S. ambassador Brownfield said: "In the almost 200 years of mutual existence of our two countries ... the United States has never invaded, is not invading at this moment and will never invade Venezuela. Full stop.". Brownfield, whose repeated requests for meetings with Venezuelan ministers have been rebuffed, added: "It's difficult to eliminate confusion, surprises, if we're not talking to each other." U.S. officials portray former paratrooper Chavez, a virulent critic of U.S. President George W. Bush, as an authoritarian menace. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has singled out self-proclaimed socialist Chavez as a "destabilizing influence" in Latin America. U.S. officials have also accused Chavez, a firebrand nationalist, of sheltering Colombian Marxist rebels and recently criticized Venezuelan purchases of Russian automatic rifles. Chavez said in New Delhi he had no quarrel with the people of United States, only with its government. He cited U.S. action in Iraq and said the U.S. government was a threat to the entire world. Venezuela's relations with the United States have been strained since leftist Chavez was elected in 1998. He has bolstered ties with anti-U.S. countries such as Cuba and alleged Washington was involved in a failed coup against him in 2002. Many analysts see the rhetoric aimed at domestic political audiences and do not believe it heralds any imminent diplomatic or commercial rift. Although Chavez is exploring new oil markets like China, U.S. oil companies continue to negotiate major investments in Venezuela. |
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