US and Venezuala War of Words

Following a week of tense exchanges with Washington, President Hugo Chavez on Saturday said American officials should not "stick their noses'' in Venezuela's affairs.

U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said Friday that Chavez should show "that he believes in democratic processes'' by allowing the recall referendum on his rule to take place.

The comments followed a week of back-and-forth comments that began when U.S. officials accused Venezuela and Cuba of cooperating to undermine democratic governments in the region.

On Saturday, Chavez said the United States was wrong to comment on Venezuela's internal affairs.

"It is not up to them to stick their noses here in Venezuela,'' Chavez said. "What occurs in Venezuela only concerns Venezuelans.''

"Venezuela is a free, sovereign and independent country,'' said Chavez, one of Latin America's most outspoken critics of the Bush administration's foreign policy.

el - This administration had plans for Venezuela and Colombia but 9/11 got in their way.