(August 11, 2001)
Venezuela Orders US Offices Vacated***U.S. Embassy sources said the move came as a surprise. In a statement, the embassy said ``we regret this decision as it will make it difficult to carry on our long-standing relationship with the Venezuelan government's military.'' The action came on the eve of President Fidel Castro's two-day visit to southwestern Venezuela. The United States is the biggest importer of Venezuelan oil, and the two countries cooperate closely on counter-narcotics efforts. But President Hugo Chavez vocally challenges what he describes as U.S. political and economy dominance abroad.***