Venezuela: better ties with US "difficult" under Bush administration
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez said Friday that it is "difficult" to have better relations with the United States as long as President George W. Bush is in.

"Everything seems to indicate that with this administration normal relations will be difficult," Rodriguez told reporters.

Rodriguez's remarks came a day after US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs Thomas Shannon issued a statement on Thursday, blasting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as a threat to democracy.

Shannon also said Chavez used confrontation with neighboring states to stimulate nationalism and garner domestic support.

"We can do nothing except energetically reject this gross, cynical intrusion into Venezuela's affairs," Rodriguez said.

The diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the United States have deteriorated steadily in recent years. Caracas criticized Washington for supporting an abortive coup aimed at overthrowing the Chavez government in April 2002. Chavez also said the United States had plans to invade Venezuela and assassinate him. Washington has denied the accusations.

Earlier this month, Venezuela rejected the US-proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas at the Summit of the Americas in Argentina.