Venezuela, Mexico Leaders In Row
(AP) Venezuela called its ambassador to Mexico home Monday rather than apologize after President Hugo Chavez warned Mexican leader Vicente Fox: “Don’t mess with me.” Mexico responded by recalling its own diplomat.
In an interview with CNN en Espanol, Fox said he would meet with Foreign Secretary Ernesto Derbez to decide what to do next.
In a statement late Sunday, Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said that because Chavez’s comments “strike at the dignity of the Mexican people and government, Mexico demands a formal apology from Venezuela’s government.”
But in a news conference Monday in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, Foreign Secretary Ali Rodriguez said his country would not accept Mexico’s demands.
“The immediate return of ambassador Vladimir Villegas has been ordered,” Rodriguez said, adding that his departure was “leaving the affairs of our embassy in Mexico in the hands of an appointed charge-d’affaires.”
Venezuela “rejects as an unjustified attack the ultimatum issued by the government of Mexico,” Rodriguez said. “This situation is entirely the responsibility of President Fox.”
More: cbsnews.com
Mexico-Venezuela row: Readers' reaction
Mexico and Venezuela's presidents, Vicente Fox and Hugo Chavez, are locked in a row, which could have serious consequences for relations between the two nations.
Mr Fox has threatened to cut off all diplomatic ties with Venezuela if Mr Chavez continues making controversial comments about him or his country.
Mr Chavez has refused to apologise for calling the Mexican President a "puppy" of US imperialism.
The BBC News website spoke to readers from both countries to get their reaction to the dispute.
More: news.bbc.co.uk
Mexico's relations with Venezuela recovering: FM
Relations between Mexico and Venezuela are recovering after a row arising from a dispute over the US-promoted Free Trade Agreement in the Americas (FTAA), Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez told Mexican radio on Monday.
Derbez said the bilateral relations are going on the right track and things could soon return to normal.
"We have to manage this with prudence and firmness. We have to keep watching how this evolves and to look out for moments which will allow us to take the path toward normalization,"
Mexicos Calderon to tour Latam, skipping Venezuela
Mexican President-elect Felipe Calderon, who wants to counter the influence of Latin American leaders like U.S.-foe Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, sets off on a tour of the region next week.
Conservative Calderon, 44, will take in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile and Brazil on the trip, but will not visit Venezuela and other countries like Bolivia whose leftist leaders are aligned with Chavez.
Calderon has said he wants Mexico to play a more active role in regional politics to balance the influence of Chavez, who is trying to reduce U.S power over Latin American affairs.
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Hotel closure after Mexico-US row
Local authorities in a district of Mexico City have announced the imminent closure of a US-owned hotel at the centre of a diplomatic row. It said the branch of the Sheraton chain had committed irregularities such as unauthorised building work and failure to provide a menu in Braille.
The announcement comes as Mexico investigates the hotel for expelling 16 Cuban officials last week. The delegation was ordered out to comply with a US embargo against Cuba.
A US law bans American companies from doing business with the island. However, the authorities in the city's central
War of words between Mexico and Venezuela
A diplomatic fight between Mexico and Venezuela worsened yesterday.
Days after branding Mexican President Vicente Fox a "lapdog" of United States imperialism, his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez warned: "Don't mess with me, mister, because you'll get pricked."
Mexico's Foreign Ministry responded, saying it would withdraw its Ambassador to Venezuela unless it received a formal apology.
"The Venezuelan President's declarations hurt the dignity of the people and Government of Mexico," it said.
More: nzherald.co.nz
Mexico’s Fox Woos Washington at Great Cost
The current spat between Venezuela and Mexico will soon pass, yet it should be seen as far more than a trivial matter, springing as it does from deep roots in the collective psyche of each country. Even more importantly, it also reflects the depth of the disagreement in Latin America over Washington’s controversial free trade proposals. The dispute also reveals how far President Fox’s star has fallen, along with those of other Latin American leaders who have allowed themselves to be docilely tethered to Washington’s dock.
Shortly after the Summit of the Americas gathering in
Mexico hit by new naturalisation row
Mexico's national team has been hit by another row over naturalised players after coach Ricardo La Volpe said he was interested in the services of Argentine-born midfielder Walter Gaitan.
La Volpe already has two naturalised players in his squad -- Brazilian-born midfielder Antonio Naelson and Argentine-born foward Guillermo Franco -- and the subject has split Mexican football down the middle.
Critics are especially angry because La Volpe has overlooked Mexican-born midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco and striker Adolfo Bautista, who many feel deserve a place in the squad.
The volatile Blanco, in particular, is regarded by
Venez, Mexico Resolve Relations Issue
Relations between Venezuela and Mexico are on the mend after a week of constant bickering between their foreign ministries.
The calm returned after a telephone conversation Friday between the two foreign ministers, Alà RodrÃguez and Luis Ernesto Derbez, from Venezuela and Mexico, respectively.
An official communiqué from Caracas qualified the conversation as “very cordial and positive,†said it was committed to improving relations more, and announced a forthcoming joint declaration to formally end the crisis between presidents Chávez (Venezuela) and Fox (México).
The spat began when at the Argentina America’s Summit Fox criticized Venezuela for rejecting the US-backed FTAA,
Mexico imposes sanctions on US in antidumping row
The Mexican authorities have imposed trade sanctions against certain US products in their antidumping dispute, the Mexican trade representative said.
Mexico has decided to impose an additional duty of between 9-30 pct on selected imports from the US, he said, adding that the measure entered into force on Aug 18.
The dispute with the US concerns the Byrd Amendment, which allows the US government to redistribute anti-dumping duties to US companies that allege dumping, or the selling of goods abroad at less than the market price in the domestic market.
Source: forbes.com
Mexico's Slim not worried about Venezuela risk - spokesman
Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim isnt worried about political risks in moving his Latin American communications network into Venezuela, a spokesman said Friday.
Monday, Telmex (TMX) and America Movil (AMX) said they will buy Verizon Communications (VZ) 28.5% stake in Venezuelas CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela SA (VNT), or CANTV, for $676.6 million through a joint-venture.
Arturo Elias Ayub, a spokesman for Slim, shrugged off concerns about political risk in Venezuela, where the government of President Hugo Chavez has been changing the rules for oil and other companies.
Were confident in the
