海角大神

Over the past several months, the US government has been accused of a host of offenses by Venezuela鈥檚 leadership: Planning a death plot against President Nicol谩s Maduro, barring government planes from entering US airspace, causing widespread blackouts by interfering with the country鈥檚 electric grid, and even playing a role in former President Hugo Ch谩vez鈥檚 illness and death.聽

And this week, Mr. Maduro said he's had enough. He announced it was time for three 鈥淵ankee鈥� diplomats in Venezuela to go home 鈥� the second time he鈥檚 kicked out US officials this year. He found they had been 鈥渄edicated to meeting the far-right and to financing and encouraging acts of sabotage against the electrical system and Venezuela鈥檚 economy,鈥� Maduro announced on TV Monday. 聽

Seven months ago, in the lead-up to the first presidential election in 15 years in which Mr. Ch谩vez was not a candidate, there was hope that Venezuela鈥檚 new leadership would work toward warmer relations with the United States.聽

鈥淲hat is different is that [Maduro]鈥檚 someone you can talk to and with Ch谩vez that [was] impossible,鈥� Michael Shifter, director of the Inter-American Dialogue, told 海角大神 in March, noting that Maduro is a staunch leftist and would still walk the party line. 鈥淸He鈥檒l be accessible] within the party, to the opposition, and the US,鈥� Mr. Shifter said.

The US announced 鈥渋ts interest in developing a constructive relationship鈥� with Venezuela鈥檚 government, according to a statement by President Obama following the announcement of Ch谩vez鈥檚 death on March 5.

But today鈥檚 move seems to indicate little has changed when it comes to dealing with Venezuela鈥檚 鈥渋mperialist鈥� neighbor to the north.

"I have the proof here in my hands," Maduro said last night, referring to his allegations of sabotage. "Yankees go home! Get out of Venezuela! Get out of here! I don't care what actions the government of Barack Obama takes."

So, what happened to hopes for renewal in US-Venezuela relations?

To start: a foundering economy, record-high inflation, strict currency controls, shortages of basic goods ranging from toilet paper to sugar, rolling blackouts, and high levels of violence 鈥� many problems that were inherited from the previous administration.

鈥淒eflecting blame for domestic problems on external forces is a time-honoured tradition鈥� in Venezuela, according to the Financial Times. And Maduro has stepped up the blame game, activating a sabotage hot line (0800-SABATAJE) last month, which the government said received more than 1,000 calls in its first week. The Miami Herald reports that Maduro鈥檚 office has mentioned the word 鈥渟abotage鈥� in at least 144 communiqu茅s sent out since mid-April.

According to the FT, blaming outside forces is especially big now since Maduro "has made little headway in correcting the economic distortions bequeathed by Hugo Ch谩vez, his charismatic predecessor, a failure that has also left many wondering how much longer the situation can go on."

Quirky stories on the effects of some of Venezuela鈥檚 economic policies have popped up as a result. Used cars in Venezuela actually gain in value, at times selling for more than a new car due to currency controls and insufficient vehicle supplies. And Reuters reported last month that international travel is booked solid months in advance 鈥� not so much for the voyages overseas, but because of restrictions that allow those with international plane tickets to exchange up to $3,000 at the government rate.

And hovering in the background of Venezuela鈥檚 towering list of economic woes are upcoming local elections, scheduled for Dec. 8. David Smilde and Hugo P茅rez Herna铆z write on the Venezuela blog of the聽Washington Office on Latin America this week that the elections are the first true test of Maduro鈥檚 leadership since his contested presidential victory in April. The elections 鈥渨ill inevitably be interpreted as a referendum not only on 鈥楥havismo without Ch谩vez,鈥� but on the opposition without Ch谩vez.鈥�

One of the officials Maduro kicked out last night was the US charge d鈥檃ffaires, who has served as the highest ranking US diplomat in the Andean country since the last US ambassador was expelled in 2010.

"We have seen Maduro's televised announcement but we have not received any official notification of expulsions," a US State Department representative told CNN. "We completely reject the Venezuelan government's allegations of US government involvement in any type of conspiracy to destabilize the Venezuela government."