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Caracas joins US, Bolivia diplomatic furor

An anti-government protester sets off a firecracker outside the governor’s palace in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Thursday. PHOTO: AP

Violent clashes have claimed eight lives in Bolivia and unleashed a three-way diplomatic crisis, with La Paz and Washington expelling each other’s ambassadors and Caracas kicking out its top US diplomat and the South American allies demanding that Washington stay out of their affairs.

Anti-government demonstrators fought backers of Bolivian President Evo Morales in the pro-autonomy east with clubs, machetes and guns on Thursday, killing at least eight people and injuring 20, authorities reported.

The demonstrators also seized natural gas fields, halting half of Bolivia’s gas exports to Brazil, its No. 1 customer, for nearly seven hours, the affected Transierra pipeline company said.

“We’re going to tolerate only so much. Patience has its limits,” Morales told supporters on Thursday.

The Aymara Indian and former coca growers’ union leader has so far hesitated to mobilize the military, fearing major bloodshed.

Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia announced a day of national mourning.

Meanwhile, US officials angered by Morales’ decision to expel Washington’s ambassador for allegedly inciting opposition protesters responded on Thursday by kicking out Bolivia’s envoy to the US.

“In response to unwarranted actions and in accordance with the Vienna Convention [on diplomatic protocol], we have officially informed the government of Bolivia of our decision to declare Ambassador Gustavo Guzman persona non grata,” US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Diplomats declared “persona non grata” are generally given 72 hours to depart.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in a show of solidarity with his Morales, gave US Ambassador Patrick Duddy 72 hours to leave and announced the recall of Caracas’ ambassador to Washington.

“Go to hell, shit Yankees, we are a dignified people, go to hell a hundred times,” Chavez shouted at a political rally to thousands of roaring supporters dressed in red.

Chavez also once again accused the US of backing a coup to overthrow him, a claim the US has repeatedly denied.

“That’s enough ... from you, Yankees,” Chavez said during a televised rally, using an expletive.

Waving his fists in the air, he added: “I hold the government of the United States responsible for being behind all the conspiracies against our nations!”

“If there was an aggression against Venezuela there would be no oil for the people or for the government of the United States,” the former paratrooper said.

The conflict in Bolivia centers on Morales’ plans to amend the Constitution and redirect gas revenues. Bolivia’s conservative, energy rich eastern provinces oppose those plans, and on Thursday two weeks of protests turned violent as demonstrators stormed public offices, blocked roads and seized the gas fields.

Eight people were killed in a conflict between pro and anti-government bands outside Cobija, capital of the eastern province of Pando, said Sacha Llorenti, a deputy minister for social movements.
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