He vowed the killers of the Faddoul brothers would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law

Chávez threatens to declare US ambassador persona non grata

President Hugo Chávez said William Brownfield is starring a series of altercations with a view to escalate bilateral tensions

"The United States threatened us, but this is a new provocation of the empire" (Photo: Courtesy of Miraflores Press Office

GUSTAVO MENDEZ
EL UNIVERSAL

President Hugo Chávez warned he could declare the United States ambassador William Brownfield persona non grata and thus expel him from Venezuela if the diplomat continued to walk around Venezuela "as if he owned the country."

Chávez' remarks came Sunday during his 252nd weekly radio and TV ¡Aló, Presidente! (Hello, President!), from north central Carabobo state.

The Venezuelan ruler mentioned an incident involving Brownfield last April 7th. The US diplomat was visiting a baseball field in Coche, southwest Caracas, to make a donation of sports goods, but pro-government activists insulted him and threw objects at him.

Chávez urged Brownfield to abide by the Vienna Convention and inform the Venezuelan Government of his activities for the purposes of coordinating his protection.

"You are a provoker. We do reject any aggression, and we do not encourage aggressions, but the (US) ambassador continues to insist in appearing in a baseball field to donate gloves and balls... His recklessness and provocation may result in a serious situation. The United States threatened us, but this is a provocation of the empire to seek another incident... You may start packing your things."

Sympathy
During the first hour of his seven-hour show, Chávez talked about Jesus Christ, in the occasion of Palm Sunday. When talking about Jesus' love and justice, he regretted the murder of the teenage Faddoul Diab brothers and their driver Miguel Rivas (30) last April 4th.

He rejected the use of these killings for political purposes.

"I was tempted to take the streets too, but not to manipulate people, but to cry actually, as I did when I talked to the Faddoul brothers' mother," he said.

Chávez lashed out at the media for "manipulating" Mrs. Faddoul's statements.

He insisted his speeches do not encourage hatred and violence, and rather blamed violence on the lust for money and luxury.

"Anyone who supports me, or supports my ideas, shall abandon material possessions and abandon anything or anyone he/she loves the most in the personal field in order to serve the collective."

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.

Gustavo Mendez3
EL UNIVERSAL

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