Chile urges Venezuela to punish its ambassador for "interference"
The Chilean government on Friday demanded that Venezuela punish Victor Delgado, its ambassador to Chile, alleging he was interfering in Chile's internal affairs.

Government spokesman Ricardo Lagos Weber described Delgado's critical remarks as "unacceptable," which were concerning the Christian Democrat Party (PDC), part of Chile's ruling coalition.

"Chile hopes that Venezuela will adopt necessary measures against Delgado to maintain friendship and cooperation between the two nations," Lagos told media, stopping short of a demand that Venezuela withdraw the ambassador.

Delgado publicly apologized to Chile on Friday, arguing that his Wednesday remarks about the PDC and Chile's foreign policy was "taken out of context."

Chile rejected Delgado's condemnation of PDC opposition to Venezuela holding one of the UN Security Council seats, by saying that the PDC's opposition was similar to that it had had to Salvador Allende, the socialist president who died during the 1973 military coup in Chile.

The Right-wing party, the Independent Democratic Union, called for Delgado to be declared "persona non grata," a status that would effectively lead to his deportation. Chilean Socialist Party officials told media they believed the government response was "disproportionate."

Press reports said that the United States was asking Chile to support a bid by Guatemala for a seat on the 15-member UN Security Council. Mexico, Colombia and most Central American nations also support the Guatemalan bid. while Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay back Venezuela.

The UN Security Council has 10 rotating members, which have two-year terms, and five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, France, China and Britain.