U.S. missionaries leave posts in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A group of U.S. missionaries in Venezuela have left the country after President Hugo Chavez expelled them, El Nacional reported Monday.

The New Tribes Mission said it withdrew the last few dozen missionaries from their remote outposts in Venezuela.

For the past 60 years, the Florida-based group has been trying to convert indigenous groups in Venezuela to Christianity.

However, Chavez recently accused the group of spying for the United States, the latest espionage allegations leveled against U.S. citizens in Venezuela by the president.

Earlier this month, Chavez ordered the expulsion of a U.S naval attaché after he was accused of working with Venezuelan military personnel to gather information.