Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is
threatening to expel an unnamed U.S. Embassy official for allegedly
conspiring to defeat a controversial referendum that would allow Chavez
to consolidate control and maintain indefinite control over the country.
Although
details were scarce, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro appeared on state
television in Caracas, with a document he claimed was written by the
U.S. embassy official to be sent to the CIA as part of the plan to
undermine Chavez.
Speaking on
national television, Maduro said, "It's a script from the CIA to try to
generate a block of opinion among Venezuelans that would give a sure
victory to the 'No' vote. We will investigate and if it's that way,
we'll remove this person from here as a persona non grata."
Both
the U.S. Embassy in Caracas and the State Department in Washington, DC
denied involvement, but said they would continue to investigate into
the matter.
In Sunday's
referendum, Venezuelans will have the opportunity to vote on proposed
changes to 69 amendments of the nation's 1999 constitution, including
revisions that would allow Chavez indefinite re-election, create forms
of communal property and move the country further towards socialism.(ahn)
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