Saturday 13
September
2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Millions of Dollars for
Bank Holdups in Panama
Espionage Scandal in
Guatemala
Ecuador, Honduras
Support Bolivia,
Venezuela In Expulsion
of U.S. Envoys
Brazil Starts Military
Drill Around Pre-Salt
Layer Oil Fields
Bolivian Government
Imposes Martial Law In
Violence-Hit Pando
Province
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Ecuador, Honduras
Support Bolivia,
Venezuela In Expulsion
of U.S. Envoys
LIMA - Ecuador and
Honduras on Friday
voiced support for
Bolivia and Venezuela's
decision to expel U.S.
ambassadors in their
countries in protest of
Washington's
intervention in their
domestic affairs.
"The president of
Bolivia, Evo Morales and
the president of
Venezuela, Hugo Chavez,
have enough reasons to
label (as "persona non
gratas") the U.S.
ambassador in La Paz,
Philip Goldberg, and
that in Caracas, Patrick
Duddy. I respect those
countries' decisions and
I am sure that they had
their concrete and
verified reasons,"
Ecuadorian President
Rafael Correa said
during his visit to
Peru.
"Ecuador will make its
resolutions in a
sovereign way," Correa
noted.
"I have to acknowledge
that former U.S.
ambassador to Ecuador
always respected my
country," the president
said, adding that "if
any U.S. ambassador or
of any place attempts to
interfere in our
internal affairs or
affect the country's
security, he will be
immediately expelled."
Correa made the remarks
at a press conference at
the Andean Community of
Nations (CAN) that
groups Bolivia,
Colombia, Ecuador and
Peru.
The Ecuadorian president
had previously met with
his Peruvian counterpart
Alan Garcia.
Meanwhile, reports
monitored here said that
Honduran President
Manuel Zelaya also
voiced support for
Bolivia's decision to
expel the U.S.
ambassador, saying he
will not receive the new
U.S. ambassador to
Honduras for the moment,
though he does not want
to have problems with
Washington.
In another development
of the day, the
Venezuelan government
said it formalized the
expulsion of U.S.
ambassador to Venezuela,
Patrick Duddy, after
President Hugo Chavez
announced the decision
on Thursday to show
solidarity with Bolivia.
The U.S. ambassador was
asked to leave the
country within 72 hours
starting from 19:15
local time (2345 GMT) on
Thursday.
In a communique, the
government declared
Duddy as "persona non
grata" , saying it
subjects the ties with
the United States to an
intense evaluation "to
guarantee the respect to
our homeland."
Bolivian Ambassador to
Venezuela Jorge Alvarado
said on Friday that he
appreciates Venezuela's
sympathy with La Paz,
describing the words of
President Chavez as a
honor and an incentive
for the Bolivian people.
"The Bolivians,
Venezuelans and the
Latin Americans should
feel proud because our
governments are
dignifying us," Alvarado
said.
Alvarado said Latin
American nations could
not react to the U.S.
intervention before,
because they lived with
alleged help from it.
"But we are now showing
that we can expel a U.S.
ambassador," Alvarado
told local VTV channel.
Bolivian President Evo
Morales on Wednesday
requested U.S.
Ambassador to Bolivia
Philip Goldberg to leave
the country immediately,
accusing him of "heading
the division" inside
Bolivia by encouraging,
together with the
opposition, the protests
against this government.
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