Sunday, January 8, 2012

US orders Venezuelan Diplomat out of the Country

On Sunday, the State Department said that it ordered a Venezuelan diplomat, who was based in Miami, to leave the country. The Diplomat is Livia Acosta Noguera, who was Venezuela’s consul general. Officials have not released a reason for ordering her to leave, but a news report, broadcasted on a Spanish- speaking channel called Univision, from last week claimed that Acosta was involved in discussions about engaging in cyberattacks against the US. The report included alleged taped conversations with Acosta, and involved officials from both the Iranian and Venezuelan Embassies in Mexico. The scheme allegedly began in Cuba, and was planning on targeting companies or nuclear power plants in the US. There is no definitive evidence that was brought up in the report. However, Acota's expulsion goes along with the Obama Administration's disapproval with Venezuela's continuing to maintain an amiable relations with Iran, regardless of international efforts to isolate them over their nuclear program.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/world/americas/us-expels-venezuelan-diplomat-from-miami.html?ref=world

Kathleen Tite

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