"We have enough evidence. ... If anything happens to me, the person responsible will be the president of the United States," Chavez told reporters in New Delhi. He did not offer any evidence.
In comments published Saturday by local media in Caracas, the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, William Brownfield said his country had "no plans or thoughts of assassinating either the president here or any other leader."
"That would be a violation of our federal law," added Brownfield.
The exchange of accusations between the left-wing Chavez and U.S. officials has reached fever pitch in recent weeks, raising questions whether the multibillion-dollar energy relationship between Washington and one of its top oil suppliers is at risk.
As long as we are being blamed for plotting against him, we really should plot against him. Now we get blamed and he remains in power. We could get blamed and have him deposed. At worst, we'd have what we have now--a nutball shouting at us.
