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Venezuelan Ambassador's Speech At USF Disrupted
By Lindsay Peterson
Tampa Tribune
April 24, 2008

TAMPA - With shouts of "shame on you" and "no more Chavez," opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez disrupted a presentation by Venezuela's ambassador to the United States at the University of South Florida on Wednesday.

The ambassador, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, spoke to about 100 people, including Latin American studies students and Chavez supporters. At one point, while Chavez opponents shouted and clapped, Chavez supporters began yelling "Viva Chavez."

Harry Vanden, professor of international studies at USF, tried to quiet the protesters by reminding them that having respect for the freedom of expression meant letting the ambassador speak.

Herrera said he came to Florida as part of a tour of the country to meet Venezuelans living in America and talk about the need for a good relationship between America and Venezuela.

Last month, a group of Republicans in the U.S. House proposed a resolution calling for Venezuela to be named a state sponsor of terrorism. The proposed resolution says that Venezuela supports terrorists in neighboring Colombia and has developed "strong relationships" with Iran, Cuba, Syria and North Korea.

The anti-Chavez complaints focused on the poverty and lack of expression critics say is getting worse in Venezuela.

Herrera said Chavez had improved living standards and become more tolerant of divergent points of view in the Venezuelan media and was increasing commercial trade with the United States.

"We are in a different phase," he said.

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NOTE: The Venezuela Information Office is dedicated to informing the American public about contemporary Venezuela, and receives its funding from the government of Venezuela. More information is available from the FARA office of the Department of Justice in Washington DC.

Venezuela Information Office
2000 P Street NW, Suite 240 Washington, DC 20036  tel: (202) 347-8081  fax: (202) 223-8029