Chavez: Venezuela Captured 4 U.S Spies

 

By IAN JAMES

The Associated Press

Saturday, August 19, 2006; 10:23 PM

 

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela has caught four people spying for the American government, but a U.S. embassy spokesman said Saturday that he had "no idea what the president is talking about."

 

Without offering specifics, Chavez said that one woman was caught not long ago while taking photos in the north-central city of Valencia.

 

"I've caught four of their spies, four, and I've put them back in their hands," Chavez told a campaign rally in western Venezuela Friday night.

 

U.S. Embassy spokesman Brian Penn said Saturday that more than a year ago, a clerical official working in a military office at the embassy had her purse stolen in Valencia and that inside it was a disposable camera.

 

The woman, who was on a temporary assignment in Venezuela and eventually moved on to other duties, was never detained or formally accused of spying, Penn said.

 

Chavez consistently accuses the U.S. of conspiring to oust him and often asserts the CIA is working to destabilize his government. Last year he ordered one U.S.-based missionary group out of Indian communities where they worked, accusing them of spying for the CIA.

 

In his latest comments, Chavez apparently was counting among the four a naval attache at the U.S. Embassy whom he accused of spying in February and ordered out of the country. The U.S. government responded to that move by expelling a Venezuelan diplomat from Washington.

 

He predicted that the United States could try to discredit the results of Venezuela's Dec. 3 presidential election, in which Chavez is seeking another six-year term, or could try to provoke violent unrest around the time of the vote.

 

U.S. officials have denied trying to overthrow the leftist Chavez, who is Cuban President Fidel Castro's close ally and friend. President Bush's government has repeatedly labeled Chavez a threat to democracy.

 

Chavez warned that Venezuelans should be prepared for a "war of resistance" in case U.S. troops one day invade _ a possibility Washington calls preposterous.

 

U.S. National Intelligence Director John Negroponte announced Friday he was creating a "mission manager" for Cuba and Venezuela to oversee the American spy community's efforts to collect and analyze intelligence on the two countries.

 

"In a way, it's an honor that they put us alongside revolutionary Cuba" in naming an espionage point man for both countries, Chavez said.

 

"How are you, Fidel?" he added, saying he believed the ailing Cuban leader was watching the televised speech. "Long live Fidel!"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6081900518.html

Wow, their must have been some really good stuff in that yogurt he and Fidel were eating.

so we are taking photos with disposable cameras instead of just using the sattelites?

Apparently Chavez thinks we're still in the WWII era.

So what we have no spies actually in the field?

 

 

If thats the case I have some nice ocean view property to sell you out in Amarillo, Texas.