Monday 5th

Warning against another US campaign
The US Government has launched a "renewed global campaign" against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to show him as a tyrant, regretted Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro.

"A new campaign has been launched against President Chávez and the Venezuelan democracy to make the world suspect of dictatorship in the country," Maduro declared during a ceremony held Sunday to commemorate the events of February 4th, 1992.

"The Venezuelan people are facing criminals, a group of gangsters, but we will continue defeating them," Maduro said in reference to the alleged US plot to meddle in Venezuela's internal affairs.

Brazil-US meeting to address Venezuela
Brazil and the United States on Wednesday 7th will hold a high level meeting where mutual interest issues are to be discussed -such as ethanol and Haiti. But Venezuela is also included in the agenda.

Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon will meet in Brazil with Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim.

Burns' visit will take place amidst a war of words between US representatives and Chávez. US President George W. Bush has voiced concern about democracy in Venezuela.

Tuesday 6th

US not worried about Venezuela's influence on Brazil, Argentina
The United States does not mind if Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez may influence "fellow countries" Brazil and Argentina, said Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, DPA reported.

"Brazil and Argentina are powerful countries. They are self-confident and have their sole aim and do not need to follow any other nation," Burns added when arriving in Brazil as part of a four-day visit.

"We did not even think about Chávez. We are not meant to visit Venezuela. We are focused on our friends, on countries with which we work, like Brazil and Argentina," he pointed out.

Wednesday 7th

Condoleezza Rice: Democracy in Venezuela is under fire
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Wednesday said democracy in Venezuela is being assaulted, and claimed that the United States wants to avoid a rhetoric war with President Hugo Chávez -a fierce critic of Washington policies.

However, the US diplomat insisted she believes Venezuela is going through a "negative transition," Reuters reported.

"Yes, I do believe democracy in Venezuela is under attack and I believe that there are human right concerns in Venezuela," she said.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs denies US obsession with Chávez
Both US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon refused to confirm Brazilian experts' claims that US attempts at entering into an agreement with Brazil in connection with ethanol trade is a strategy to mitigate Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez' influence on South America.

"We are not obsessed with Chávez," said Burns, while Shannon stressed that "the tone of confrontation does not come from us, but from Caracas."

Burns and Shannon Wednesday in Brasilia discussed closer cooperation ties with Brazil in the area of ethanol commercialization.

Brazil lobbies for rapprochement with Venezuela
Rather than a policy of isolation, dialogue is the good one for strained Venezuelan-US relations, Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim told US Deputy Secretary of State Nicholas Burns.

Burns declined to make any comments on present US-Venezuelan relations.

However, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Wednesday said Venezuela is going through a "negative transition," dooming the country to economic and political demise.

Thursday 8th

Monsignor Lückert dismisses Condoleezza Rice's remarks
Monsignor Roberto Lückert, Archbishop of Coro, Falcón state, and vice-president of the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV), Thursday claimed that the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice lied when she said that there were meetings with Venezuelan bishops supporting her criticisms against President Hugo Chávez' Government, Efe reported.

"This lady was way out of line when she said such things that are not true. This is a lie. I am the vice-president of the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference and I have never felt that we have been invited or asked for a hearing with the board of directors of the CEV to say what this lady claims," Monsignor Lückert said.

On Wednesday, Rice claimed that the Venezuelan Catholic Church was "under fire" from President Chávez and that US officials have met with Venezuelan Catholic authorities.

FM accuses US of justifying drug traffic
Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs called "offender" Director of US National Intelligence John Negroponte and claimed that the United States advocates drug traffic, AFP quoted.

"The time when Washington acted as a global government and instructed the rulers in the hemisphere is over," Maduro said.

"We have today one single Latin America, one single South America, a Caribbean space with growing autonomy and sovereignty. Thus, no representative of the empire, whether (US President) George W. Bush, offender John Negroponte, or (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice, can reverse such a situation," the minister told reporters in Ecuador.

Friday 9th

FM says Condoleezza Rice "undermines" democracy
Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro Thursday said "no official of the empire can claim the moral high ground to rank the Venezuelan democracy, the democratic leadership of President Hugo Chávez and life in our society," and ratified that the US government is "attempting a new offensive against Venezuelan democracy and President Hugo Chávez."

Maduro, in Ecuador, was replying to the statements the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made on Wednesday before the US Senate. He added that recent remarks made by US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon and even President George W. Bush against Hugo Chávez one week ago show that "an international campaign has been launched through TV networks, radio stations and newspapers worldwide."

Shannon: relations with Chávez are "really poor"
US Under Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon, in Buenos Aires, Friday warned that relations between his country and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez are "really poor."
 
"Historically, we have had a deep relation with Venezuela, but it has been seriously hit over the last few years," the official told Radio 10 of Buenos Aires.

Shannon conceded that "dialogue and improved relations" are being sought, but regretted that "President Chávez has not given any room" to try to improve the situation, DPA reported.

"Relations with Chávez are really poor, but we have hopes" to improve, he added, stressing that "there are differences and concerns" regarding some decisions the Venezuelan ruler has made, but he declined elaborating on such moves.

Chávez rules as a dictator, says a US Senator
Republican Senator Mel Martínez stated Friday President Hugo Chávez is ruling "increasingly as a dictator," harming the Venezuelan people and their economic prosperity, reported AP.

"Mr. Chávez is ruling increasingly as a dictator," Martínez stated.