Venezuela Raps U.S. Ambassador as 'Irresponsible'

Thu May 15, 2003 01:55 PM ET CARACAS, Venezuela (<a href=reuters.com>Reuters) - Venezuela's government on Thursday sharply criticized U.S. Ambassador to Caracas Charles Shapiro for hosting an event at his official residence during which a female impersonator used a puppet to ridicule President Hugo Chavez.

"What we have here is an irresponsible U.S. ambassador," Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel told a news conference.

The incident could be interpreted as a provocation, he said.

Shapiro hosted an event on Tuesday marking International Press Freedom Day during which he criticized what he called a deterioration of press freedom in Venezuela.

The event, broadcast on local television, ended with the appearance of a male comedian dressed as a Venezuelan female media broadcaster and carrying a large puppet wearing a red beret representing the Venezuelan president.

The personal attack against Shapiro threatened to again irritate relations between the Bush administration and the government of left-winger Chavez, who has fiercely criticized U.S. policies such as the invasion of Iraq.

Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, is a leading supplier of oil to the United States.

Rangel said Venezuela considered Shapiro's behavior an act of personal irresponsibility and did not want the incident to damage relations with Washington.

"In spite of Mr. Shapiro, we want excellent relations with the United States, with its government and its people," Rangel said.

The ambassador and U.S. Embassy officials were not immediately available for comment.