U.S. Makes Next Move in Cold War with Venezuela

The anticipated expulsion of a Venezuelan diplomat from Washington has occurred following Chavez's tossing out of the U.S. naval attaché in Caracas on Thursday.

The United States expelled--not a Venezuelan military attaché, as would be the usual diplomatic practice--but a high ranking civilian diplomat at the embassy.

The State Department announced that Jenny Figueredo Frias, a minister counselor described as chief of staff at the Venezuelan Embassy, had been declared persona non grata and given 72 hours to leave the United States...

As a senior embassy figure, Figueredo ranks higher than the U.S. naval attache, Cmdr. John Correa, who was ordered out of Venezuela on Thursday. Her expulsion carried no allegation of improper behavior, in contrast to Venezuela's accusation that Correa was in league with some Venezuelan military officers and helped to pass state secrets to the Pentagon.

In a statement, the Venezuelan Embassy said the cases of Figueredo and Correa were "simply not comparable." Although the U.S. action was "not unexpected," the statement said, it could not be justified as "diplomatic reciprocity."

"On the contrary," the statement added, "we view it as an act of political retaliation."

What could anyone expect from the bullies of the Western Hemisphere?

Chavez is really putting a spur into the asses of the administration:

(Washington officials) have made no secret of their concerns about the social revolution Chavez is advocating in Venezuela, his attempts to promote similar political change elsewhere in the region and his efforts to strengthen ties with Cuba, China, Iran and North Korea.

Social revolution is the thing that most infuriates the "leaders" in Washington. The rich hate the idea of sharing their spoils.

Asked during a National Press Club appearance Thursday about relations between Washington and Latin America, Rumsfeld noted U.S. worries about the rise of populist leaders in the region such as Chavez and Evo Morales in Bolivia.

"I mean, we've got Chavez in Venezuela with a lot of oil money," Rumsfeld said. "He's a person who was elected legally -- just as Adolf Hitler was elected legally -- and then consolidated power and now is, of course, working closely with Fidel Castro and Mr. Morales and others."

The current cold war atmosphere between the U.S. and Chavez's Venezuela would possibly have already turned hot (they have oil, after all) if not for certain distractions for the U.S. Army in Iraq.

The national security crowd still has their hopes though.

"The two governments appear on a collision course," said Michael Shifter, a vice president of the Inter-American Dialogue. "The situation is troubling and dangerous."