Venezuela to US: Cut embassy staff

Venezuela has demanded that the United States cut the number of staff at its embassy in Caracas, giving Washington two weeks to come up with a plan to do so.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Monday that she discussed the issue in a meeting with Lee McClenny, the US chargé d’affaires in Venezuela’s capital.

She added that the American Embassy must slash the number of its officials from 100 to 17 as only 17 Venezuelan diplomats are currently serving in the US.

“Regarding the reduction to 17 staff, he (McClenny) was given a period of 15 days to present a plan,” said Rodriguez, adding that Caracas would publish its new visa requirements for US visitors.

On Saturday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (shown below) announced the detention of several American spies, denouncing Washington’s “conspiracies” against his government.

He threatened Washington with a series of retaliatory measures, including imposing a visa requirement for American tourists, banning several US “terrorists” from Venezuela, including former President George W. Bush and his vice President Dick Cheney, and imposing rules to limit the movement of the US diplomats involved in plotting to topple his government.

Tensions between Caracas and Washington have been on the rise since the Venezuelan president on February 12 said a US-backed coup plot against him had been foiled. Washington denied the claim.

Maduro has frequently slammed the US for meddling in Venezuela’s domestic affairs.

The two countries remain at odds since late Hugo Chavez became Venezuela’s president in 1999. Both sides have refused to exchange ambassadors since 2010.

Washington admitted that it had endorsed a coup that toppled Chavez briefly in 2002.

Maduro is due to see US President Barack Obama in five weeks at the Summit of the Americas in Panama.