Chavez names career diplomat as ambassador to U.S.

CNN
March 3, 2002

Chavez names career diplomat as ambassador to U.S.

                 CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez on Sunday named a
                 career diplomat as Venezuela's new ambassador to the United States, wishing
                 the appointee luck in easing tensions between the two countries.

                 Roy Chaderton, currently Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia, replaces Ignacio
                 Arcaya, who resigned in January after reportedly being at odds with Chavez's
                 handling of U.S.-Venezuelan relations.

"Good luck, Roy. You have a tremendous mission in Washington," Chavez said
during his weekly radio show.

                 In October, tensions arose between Venezuela and the United States after Chavez
                 criticized civilian deaths in the allied bombing campaign against Afghanistan. Chavez
                 later expressed regrets for his remarks.

                 Both Chavez and outgoing U.S. ambassador to Venezuela Donna Hrinak last week
                 expressed optimism that relations between Washington and Caracas would
                 improve, citing shared interests in oil and combating drug trafficking. U.S.
                 President George W. Bush has named career diplomat Charles S. Shapiro to replace
                 Hrinak.

                 Chaderton, who has also been ambassador to Britain and Canada, is credited with
                 helping resolve several spats between Caracas and Bogota over Chavez's treatment
                 of Colombian rebels.

                 Chavez also named Maria Cristina Iglesias, a leader of a small leftist political party,
                 as the new labor minister. Iglesias takes over the post as the country's largest labor
                 confederation is threatening a general strike this month.