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Chavez rejects US diplomat nominee, lashes out at Obama's drug comments
President Hugo Chavez insisted on Friday that he won't accept the U.S. government's nominee for ambassador and condemned President Barack Obama's designation of Venezuela as a country failing in counter-drug efforts.
Chavez dismissed the White House's criticism of Venezuela on drugs, calling it a "new attack by the Yankee empire."
Obama, in a memorandum released Thursday, named Venezuela along with Bolivia and Myanmar as "countries that have failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements."
In response, Chavez lashed out at the Obama administration, calling it "an irresponsible government, a murderous government, a coup-mongering government." Chavez has long said the U.S. uses the drug issue against him for political reasons, saying Venezuela is making significant efforts to stem the flow of Colombian cocaine.
In a televised speech, Chavez pointed to this week's arrest of an alleged boss of Colombia's Norte de Valle cartel, noting he is one of 16 drug suspects detained by Venezuelan authorities this year. The arrest of Jaime Alberto Marin was announced Thursday, and Colombian Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera Salazar praised his capture as an example of effective police work by both countries.