Free Republic

Venezuela's foreign minister accused the outgoing U.S. ambassador Thursday of spending his term trying to undermine President Hugo Chavez and said the government hopes his replacement will show more respect. Ambassador William Brownfield's three-year term was marked by growing hostility between the two governments. The U.S. has called leftist Chavez a negative influence on Latin America, while the Venezuelan leader has often accused Washington of seeking his overthrow. ... "William Brownfield came to Venezuela with one mission: to destabilize the government of President Chavez, to help topple him. And his mission has failed," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro told reporters....

US accuses Venezuela over attack Motorcyclists chased the convoy for at least 10 minutes The US has accused city officials of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, of complicity in an attack on the car of US Ambassador William Brownfied. The ambassador's convoy was pelted with eggs, onions and tomatoes and chased by motorbikes for some miles by supporters of President Hugo Chavez. US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said the attack had been condoned by the city government. However, the mayor's office in Caracas denied any involvement in the incident. The BBC's Greg Morbasch in Caracas said Mr Brownfield is...

WASHINGTON — The State Department accused Caracas city officials of complicity Friday in an attack on the car of U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield in the Venezuelan capital. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns summoned Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez to the State Department and told him that Venezuela was in violation of an international treaty that requires the host countries to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats, department spokesman Sean McCormack said. The incident "clearly was condoned by the local government," McCormack said. Pro-government activists bombarded Brownfield's car with fruit and vegetables and a group of motorcyclists chased the convoy, at times...

Supporters of President Hugo Chavez threw eggs, fruit and vegetables at the U.S. ambassador's car Friday, and a group of motorcyclists chased his convoy for miles, at times pounding on the vehicles, a U.S. Embassy official said. No one was hurt. Embassy spokesman Brian Penn said Venezuelan police escorts did not intervene as the car carrying Ambassador William Brownfield was pounded and pelted. "We're being attacked by groups of motorcyclists while we're traveling in an embassy car," Penn told The Associated Press by cell phone shortly before the motorcycles stopped chasing the four-car convoy. "It's a very violent demonstration by...