Venezuela, U.S. agree over consular mishap

It’s not every day that one finds Hugo Chavez agreeing with the White House yet that occurred regarding the Venezuelan consulate in Houston.

Last week, the U.S. State Department ordered that consulate to be closed and revoked the visas and diplomatic privileges of a dozen Venezuelan diplomats. The sudden action came since the consulate moved its offices within Houston but did not receive State Department approval. Doing so violated international protocol, claimed a State Department spokeswoman.

Normally, such an action would lead to an annoying and often childish tit-for-tat between U.S. and Venezuelan officials. That was not to be the case, thankfully.

"Our lead diplomat in Houston moved the consulate without approval from the US authorities or Venezuela's Embassy in Washington," (President Hugo) Chavez said explaining the removal of the Venezuelan official.

"We have to accept that there was a mistake. There was no coordination with the authorities of that country. Then, all this has been used by some Venezuelans here, particularly some media and, of course, by some sectors in the United States," Chavez said.

Pardon me while I breathe a sigh of relief.

Image- AFP (“The embassy of Venezuela in Washington, DC.”)
Sources- The Latin Americanist, El Universal, AP, Houston Chronicle, AHN