Venezuelan Leader Threatens To Banish U.S. Ambassador

Diplomat Accused of Inciting Assault by Protesters

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 9 -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. ambassador was "provoking the Venezuelan people" and threatened Sunday to expel him, two days after the diplomat's car was pelted with eggs and tomatoes and chased by protesters.

Chavez condemned the crowd of protesters for attacking U.S. Ambassador William A. Brownfield's car, saying the Venezuelan government "rejects any kind of aggression."

But he suggested that Brownfield, who was returning from a ballpark in Caracas's poor Coche neighborhood, a Chavez stronghold, sought a confrontation by failing to advise authorities adequately of his travel plans and venturing into a place where his presence was unwelcome.

"I'm going to throw you out of Venezuela if you continue provoking the Venezuelan people," Chavez said to Brownfield in a nationally televised address.

Chavez's comments came after the United States warned of "severe diplomatic consequence" if a similar incident occurred.

"If the Washington government takes some measure against Venezuela motivated by provocations, you will be responsible, you will have to leave here, sir," Chavez said Sunday, referring to Brownfield. "I will declare you persona non grata in Venezuela."

A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman, Salome Hernandez, said the embassy refused to respond to "hypothetical" scenarios but added, "The ambassador will continue to travel, and we will not be intimidated."

Relations between the United States and Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil producer, have deteriorated sharply in recent months.

Chavez has threatened repeatedly to halt oil exports to the United States. In February, the United States ordered a Venezuelan diplomat to leave the United States after Chavez expelled a U.S. Embassy official in Caracas for alleged spying.

In the incident Friday, Chavez said Brownfield failed to advise the mayor's office or the Foreign Ministry of his travel plans. Hernandez said that the embassy is not required to advise those institutions and that it takes adequate precautions by regularly coordinating with law enforcement authorities for such events.

Friday was the third time in three weeks that Brownfield has been met by protests. Earlier, demonstrators burned tires and torched an American flag.

The State Department said the incident Friday "clearly was condoned by the local government," with officials handing out snacks to protesters at the stadium. U.S. officials said a single city police car stayed well behind the convoy while motorcyclists pounded and kicked the ambassador's car.

The Caracas mayor's office denied involvement.

Chavez says the United States is plotting against him, an accusation U.S. officials deny.

The United States, however, has raised concern about the state of democracy under Chavez and has accused him of destabilizing Latin America. Chavez has responded by saying that his government is democratic and that the United States is a destabilizing force.