CARACAS, Venezuela (AP):
VENEZUELAN AND United States officials disagreed yesterday on whether the U.S. ambassador's police escorts were given adequate warning to prevent a run-in with protesters who pelted his car with eggs, onions and tomatoes, and chased his convoy on motorcycles.
U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield has grown used to facing protests and shouts of "Yankee go home!" but supporters of President Hugo Chavez appeared to cross the line Friday when they pounded on his car and hurled things at it.
The incident drew a sharp response from Washington, which summoned Venezuela's ambassador and warned him of "severe diplomatic consequence" if there is a similar incident.
INEXCUSABLE
Venezuela's acting foreign minister, Alcides Rondon, criticised the "excesses committed" as inexcusable, but said that the embassy was no longer giving police escorts advance word of the ambassador's travel plans that might have helped avert the incident.
Embassy officials said they do give such information.
Rondon said the ambassador had chosen an inopportune time to donate baseball equipment to a youth league in a poor neighbourhood embroiled in a controversy over restricted access to the ballpark and he suggested the ambassador would be wise to avoid some areas.
"We must be clear: In our country's political situation there are places where the presence of some people is not welcome," he said.
It was the third time in three weeks that Brownfield has been met by protests. Earlier, protesters burned tires and torched an American flag.
Emotions have run high among Chavez's supporters as the Venezuelan leader has accused the United States of plotting against him. American officials have denied it while accusing him of stifling democracy.
Rondon said Venezuela guarantees all diplomats free movement.
