Venezuela's Chavez to Restore Ambassador in US

[tekisui]

Source: AP

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Hugo Chavez said Saturday that he is restoring Venezuela's ambassador in Washington, voicing hopes for a "new era" in relations after exchanging greetings with U.S. President Barack Obama at a regional summit.

Venezuela's socialist president told reporters at the Summit of the Americas that he will propose Roy Chaderton, his current ambassador to the Organization of American States, as the country's new representative in a move toward improving strained ties with Washington.

The announcement crowns a week in which Obama rejected two centuries of U.S. "heavy-handedness" toward Latin America and raised hopes for a rapprochement with Cuba, with which it severed ties 48 years ago. Venezuela under Chavez has become a close ally of Cuba.

Chavez expelled the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, Patrick Duddy, in September in solidarity with leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales, who ordered out the top U.S. diplomat in his country for allegedly helping the opposition incite violence.

Washington reciprocated by kicking out both nations' ambassadors.

Chavez's decision on U.S. relations came after a day of interaction with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other diplomats at a hemispheric summit in the twin-island Caribbean republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The State Department said Chavez had approached Clinton during summit sessions Saturday, and the two discussed returning ambassadors to their posts in Caracas and Washington.

"This is a positive development that will help advance U.S. interests, and the State Department will now work to further this shared goal," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.

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[panader0]

1. Amazing how our President has turned so many things around so fast

Very encouraging.