Americas

Americas

Washington expels 3 Venezuelan diplomats

26 February 2014 01:48 (UTC +04:00)

The US State Department expelled the diplomats on Tuesday in response to Venezuela’s decision on February 17 to boot three US consular officials out of the South American country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the US diplomats were supporting a plot to overthrow him.

According to US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, the Venezuelan diplomats have been declared personae non gratae and given 48 hours to leave the US.

Caracas and Washington have been without ambassadors since 2010, when late President Hugo Chavez refused to accept a newly named US ambassador to the country. Eight US diplomats have been expelled from Caracas over the past year.

Venezuela has witnessed nearly two weeks of anti-government protests that have claimed the lives of 15 people and injured 150 others.

The opposition criticizes Maduro's administration for the country's high crime rate and economic hardships, claiming that his policies have led to the shortages of essential goods and high inflation.

Maduro, who accuses the US of backing the opposition, unveiled a new peace initiative on Saturday.

"I am calling on the Venezuelan people to join me Wednesday in a national peace conference with all the country's political sectors... so we Venezuelans can try to neutralize violent groups," he said.

The Venezuelan president added that US Secretary of State John Kerry's remarks about the government’s use of "unacceptable" force on protesters had given violent groups a "green light" to continue their brutalities.

According to Maduro, Washington backs the unrest in a bid to launch a coup d’état in the country.