Venezuela Leader Praises US Rejection of Sanctions
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said passage of legislation to
impose sanctions on officials could cause his country to shut down its
diplomatic missions in the United States, but he praised the Obama
administration's opposition to the bill and said it has led him to name a
new top diplomat in Washington.
Maduro said Thursday that the measure, which has cleared the House of
Representatives but faces a challenge in the Senate, could "lead to the
point of not having an embassy or consulates in the United States."
"That's an extreme point that I want to avoid," he added during a
televised event. "I want the best relations with the government of the
United States, based on respect and permanent communications."
Maduro spoke in response to comments by Assistant Secretary of State
Roberta Jacobson, who once again urged the U.S. Senate to vote against
the measure. The bill calls for freezing any U.S. assets and denying
visas to Venezuelan officials accused of violating human rights during a
wave of protests that started in February.
Maduro said that he had read the remarks "with great attention" and said
the "leap toward good sense" had led him to name a new top diplomat in
Washington.
Even lukewarm praise from Venezuela's government is remarkable following
an avalanche of denunciations. Maduro and his backers, following the
path of former President Hugo Chavez, have repeatedly accused Washington
of trying to topple him and have blamed the U.S. for stirring up the
protests in which at least 42 people have died.
Just this week, pro-Maduro Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez announced that
the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, Kevin Whitaker, was implicated in a
plot to kill the president. Speaking at an event that also included
first lady Cilia Flores and National Assembly President Diosdado
Cabello, Rodriguez asked the U.S. government to clarify if it knew of
Whitaker's alleged role or if he was acting on his own.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called the allegation baseless.
Maduro said his new top diplomat in Washington would be former
Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil Maximilien Sanchez Arvelaiz. In
February, Maduro publicly named Sanchez Arvelaiz to fill the vacant
ambassadorship in Washington, but U.S. officials have not acted on the
proposal.
Venezuela has repeatedly expelled U.S. diplomats, accusing them of
meddling in Venezuelan affairs. That has prompted retaliatory expulsions
by Washington.
Chavez expelled the U.S. ambassador in 2008 and withdrew approval of the
U.S. nominee for the post in 2010. The two countries have not exchanged
ambassadors since then.
Maduro expelled two U.S. military attaches just hours before announcing
Chavez's death in March 2013, quashing hopes of a rapprochement. Then in
October, he expelled the U.S. charge d'affaires and two other diplomats
in Caracas, accusing them of conspiring to sabotage the economy. He
threw out three more U.S. diplomats in February.
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