Ruminatrix
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Friday, May 16, 2003
Wilkommen, Bienvenue...No Comment
Would the US Department of State care to comment on this?
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's government on Thursday sharply criticized U.S. Ambassador Charles Shapiro for hosting an event at his official Caracas residence during which an impersonator used a puppet to ridicule President Hugo Chavez....Or perhaps Ambassador Shapiro is pioneering a new cultural trend: political drag cabaret hosted in American Embassies around the world and boadcast on local TV, no less. If so, bravo, sir!
Shapiro hosted an event at his residence on Tuesday marking International Press Freedom Day during which he criticized what he called a deterioration of press freedom in Venezuela.
The event was broadcast on local television and was attended by several anti-Chavez media personalities. It ended with the appearance of a male comedian dressed as a Venezuelan female media broadcaster and carrying a large puppet wearing a red beret representing the Venezuelan president.
Shapiro planted a mock kiss on the comedian's cheek.
"As a citizen and a diplomat, I am surprised and horrified by this media witches' sabbath held at the home (of the ambassador) of a friendly country in Caracas," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton said in a statement from Russia...The ambassador and U.S. Embassy officials were not available for comment.