[progchat_action] Venezuela: good riddance to outgoing U.S. ambassador
 
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 02:01:35 -0500 (CDT)

Venezuela: good riddance to outgoing U.S. ambassador

Xinhua
July 5, 2007

Caracas  -- The Venezuelan government this week marked the end of its
fraught relationship with U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield by saying good
riddance to the "shamed" outgoing diplomat who it accused of attempting to
"topple" the nation's leadership.

The comments follow Brownfield's parting shot, which came in the form of a
televised sarcastic attack on President Hugo Chavez for his string of
anti-U.S. remarks.

"William Brownfield came to Venezuela with one mission: to destabilize the
government of President Chavez, to help topple him," Venezuelan Foreign
Minister Nicolas Maduro told reporters, saying that Brownfield's mission had
failed.

Saying Brownfield "leaves with more shame than glory," Maduro hoped his
successor could be "at least serious" although "there is little to hope" for
any appointee of U.S. President George W. Bush.

During a TV interview shown Wednesday night, the outgoing U.S. diplomat
ridiculed Chavez's anti-U.S. remarks, sarcastically saying that the U.S.
people would likely do some "very conspiratorial things" this week during
the Independence Day holiday, such as "attending baseball games."

Brownfield, scheduled to leave Venezuela for home Thursday, is being
replaced by Patrick Duddy.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-06/06/content_6336372.htm

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