CARACAS, (Reuters) – Declared “persona non grata” by the United States nine months ago, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s envoy returned to Washington yesterday, calling for more oil cooperation and the extradition of an ex-CIA agent.
The United States is also sending its Ambassador Patrick Duddy back to Caracas this week, ending a tit-for-tat diplomatic spat that started when Chavez expelled him last year
The thaw with one of the United States most important oil suppliers is an example of U.S. President Barack Obama’s policy of engaging old foes.
Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez said his return was a historic first step towards better relations and called for closer cooperation on energy issues including improving oil-refining capacity. “There has undoubtedly been a change,” Alvarez said in a telephone interview with Reuters. “Finally the presidents took the step.”
However, he said his government would continue to criticize U.S. foreign policy and called for the extradition of Cuban exile Luis Posada, a former CIA operative wanted in Venezuela for the bombing of a Cuban airliner.
“We have rejected and will continue rejecting all these attempts to unilaterally become the world’s judges, Alvarez said. “We want to keep insisting that for us, if you want to fight against terrorism, the best way for the United States to show that is to extradite to Venezuela Luis Posada.”
