Chavez threatens U.S. ambassador

• Tweet

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. ambassador to Venezuela has been threatened with expulsion by President Hugo Chavez for "provoking" violence among poor people in Caracas.

Last week, Ambassador William Brownfield was visiting a low-income neighborhood to donate baseball equipment to underprivileged children when people began pelting his convoy with eggs and fruit.

However, in a nationally televised address, Chavez said Brownfield was partially responsible for the incident because he failed to advise the local authorities or the foreign ministry of his travel plans, the BBC reported.

"I'm going to throw you out of Venezuela if you continue provoking the Venezuelan people," Chavez said in his speech.

Chavez has accused the Bush administration of orchestrating assassination and coup attempts to get at Venezuela's vast oil reserves.