Venezuela expels US missionaries suspect of spying

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered to expel all US missionaries of the New Tribes Mission whom were suspect of spying for the United States.

In a village of the southern state of Apure, Chavez said the New Tribes Mission sent strategic information to the United States when he was attending ceremonies for the "Day of Indigenous Resistance."

"The CIA, the New Tribes take sensitive information, strategic information and exploit the Indians here in our own home," said the president.

Chavez said the missionaries have electrical machines, wireless communication and even landing strips for aircraft that avoid customs while local Indians live in difficult conditions.

"We don't want New Tribes here, we're are an old tribe. ... Enough with colonialism," Chavez said.

The operations of the New Tribes Mission violated Venezuela's "national sovereignty," the president stressed.

Venezuela and the United States have been at odds since President Chavez took office six years ago.

Caracas criticized Washington for supporting an abortive coup aimed at overthrowing the Chavez government in April 2002. Chavez also said the United States had plans to invade Venezuela and assassinate him, while the US government denied the accusations.

Source: Xinhua