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December 2, 2008 8:59:03 PM CST

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US Slaps Sanctions on Chavez Aides

Posted Sep 13, 08 5:48 AM CDT in World 

(Newser) – Escalating the diplomatic crisis with Venezuela, the US has frozen the assets of three members of Hugo Chavez's inner circle it accuses of having links with drug-running Colombian rebels, the Wall Street Journal reports. The sanctions follow the expulsion by Venezuela and Bolivia of their US ambassadors—a move the State Department slammed yesterday as a "weak and desperate" attempt to distract restive citizens.

Intelligence reports seen by the Journal link Chavez to the FARC rebels and indicate that his aides protected huge shipments of cocaine. US officials say the sanctions have been in the works for weeks and are unrelated to the diplomatic row, although they are likely to increase tensions further. Thursday Chavez threatened to cut off oil exports to the US. Already testy relations between the White House and Latin America's leftist governments deteriorated in recent weeks when they supported Russia in the Georgia conflict, and two Russian bombers landed in Venezuela Thursday.

Sources Wall Street Journal, Associated Press

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A member of Venezuela's army walks next to an anti U.S. graffiti in Caracas, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008.   (AP Photo/Howard Yanes)
A man walks past an anti U.S. graffiti in Caracas, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008.   (AP Photo/Howard Yanes)
In this picture released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends the inauguration of a state-run medical center in Caracas, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008.   (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office)
Opponents to Bolivia's President Evo Morales' government shout slogans against Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in front of his country's consulate in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008.   (AP Photo/Dado Galdieri)
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Today's designation exposes two senior Venezuelan government officials and one former official who armed, abetted and funded the FARC, even as it terrorized and kidnapped innocents. - Adam J. Szubin, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control

The charges leveled against our fine ambassadors by the leaders of Bolivia and Venezuela are false—and the leaders of those countries know it. - State Department spokesman
Sean McCormack

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Venezuela • Hugo Chávez • FARC • cocaine • diplomat • Bolivia • Colombian rebels • Evo Morales • embassy staff


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