CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela's government has given the U.S. two weeks to slash the size of its mission here to 17 diplomats as tensions between the two nations rise.
Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez made the announcement Monday after a rare meeting with the top American diplomat in Caracas. She said it is up to the U.S. to decide which of an estimated 100 diplomats stationed here it wishes to send home, making clear that the goal is to strike a balance with the 17 Venezuelan diplomats that serve in the U.S.
President Nicolas Maduro announced over the weekend that his socialist government had detained Americans on suspicion of spying and would be taking steps to shrink and curtail the movement of the U.S. Embassy staff he accuses of plotting with the opposition to oust him.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf, who spoke before the meeting in Caracas ended, said that the U.S. was "clearly concerned" about Venezuela's new policies toward American diplomats and tourists.
"There has been a lot of anti-American rhetoric coming out of the Venezuelan government, with a lot of baseless allegations," she said.
Harf declined to say how many diplomats work in the U.S. Embassy, an imposing compound that sits above Caracas in a secluded, tree-lined neighborhood.
The U.S. has not exchanged ambassadors with the South American country since 2010 so the American Embassy was represented by Lee McClenny as chargé d'affaires. Reflecting the distant state of relations between the two nations, McClenny's name was twice misspelled as "Clenny" in government statements before Monday's meeting, though Rodriguez described it as cordial.
Maduro regularly rails against the U.S. for meddling in his country's affairs. He blames the U.S.' "endless coup" for the country's persistent shortages and worsening economy, and has taken to leading weekly chants of "Gringo, go home."
Last month, he accused the U.S. of plotting with opposition leaders to bomb the presidential palace
On Saturday, Maduro laid out a series of retaliatory measures, including a promise to impose a visa requirement for American tourists, require diplomats to seek approval for meetings they hold in Venezuela, and ban the entry of conservative Republicans such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and Sen. Marco Rubio.
Michael Shifter, president of Inter-American Dialogue, said he doesn't expect the U.S. to dramatically alter its policy toward the government.
"It's clear Maduro is flailing about, not knowing what to do, so he's falling back on the tried and true by blaming the U.S.," said Shifter, adding that the government has so far failed to present convincing evidence of U.S. involvement in destabilizing acts. "The problem is it's no longer credible."
Venezuela has seen a dramatic falloff in American tourists in recent years as crime has spiked.
The visa restriction could have a bigger impact on business travelers. As one of the world's largest oil producers, Venezuela remains an important destination for executives.
The new restrictions underscore Venezuela's role as the most anti-U.S. country in the hemisphere. Cuba, Venezuela's closest ally, is currently in talks with the U.S to expand staffing in the two countries' diplomatic missions and let diplomats travel outside their respective capitals without having to ask permission.
Maduro is expected to see U.S. President Barack Obama in five weeks at the Summit of the Americas in Panama. As recently as January, he was photographed grinning and shaking the hand of Vice President Joe Biden, a photo opportunity that now seems unthinkable.