#AceWorldNews says Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro requested an exchange of ambassadors with the United States on Friday, just days after he expelled three US diplomats from the country. Maduro called for talks with President Barack Obama’s administration during a Friday news conference that aired on state television.
“I call for a dialogue with you, Obama,” Maduro said. “You can designate [US Secretary of State John] Kerry or whoever you want to come to this dialogue and I will send my foreign minister … for this high-level meeting.” The US and Venezuela have not had resident ambassadors since 2010.
Amid demonstrations challenging his administration, Maduro has blamed the US for fomenting anti-government sentiment in Venezuela.
Opposition protests turned violent last week, as at least eight people have died amid the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, Maduro announced Thursday that his government will revoke or deny press credentials to seven CNN journalists for “war propaganda.”
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Venezuela has revoked or denied press credentials for seven CNN journalists working in the country for what President Nicolas Maduro called “war propaganda” amid coverage of anti-government protests.
Before the conditions on credentials were announced, Maduro said he would eject CNN from the country if it did not “rectify” its coverage amid a spike in the unrest that has gripped Venezuela. According to officials, at least eight people have been killed since demonstrations mounted by the opposition turned violent last week.
“They want to show the world that there is a civil war in Venezuela,” Maduro said of CNN in a televised speech on Thursday.
He added that CNN was not showing “the people working, studying, building the homeland.”
“I’ve asked the [information] minister to tell CNN we have started the administrative process to remove them from Venezuela if they don’t rectify [their behavior],” Maduro said during the speech aimed at supporters, according to Reuters. “Enough! I won’t accept war propaganda against Venezuela.”
The pro-government audience applauded, chanting “Fuera! Fuera!” (“Out! Out!”)
Read more at: RT http://on.rt.com/4nwhuf
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