U.S. expels three Venezuelan diplomats in tit-for-tat move

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Washington has expelled Venezuela’s highest-ranking diplomat in the United States and two others from its embassy in retaliation for Venezuela’s booting out three American diplomats accused of fomenting sabotage, both governments said yesterday.

The flare-up appears to derail some tentative moves to improve relations between Caracas and Washington since President Nicolas Maduro took over this year from the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, whose 14-year rule was halted by cancer.

“We repudiate this expulsion,” Maduro’s government said in a statement, confirming that its acting head of mission, Calixto Ortega, and two others had been ordered out.

“This cannot be considered a reciprocal decision, if you look at the clear conduct of our officials, who have at no time dared to meet groups opposed to President Barack Obama’s government, or people interested in acting against it.”