U.S. Calls Televangelist's Comments on Chavez "Inappropriate"
23 August 2005
State Department dismisses call for action against Venezuelan leader
Washington -- Televangelist Pat Robertson's call for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was "inappropriate" and does not represent the policy of the United States, according to State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
On his 700 Club television show August 22, Robertson said Chavez represents a "terrific danger" and called for his assassination as a cheaper alternative to starting a war to remove him.
"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," he said. "We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."
On August 23, McCormack dismissed Robertson's remarks as the views of a private citizen that do not reflect U.S. policy.
"We do not share his view," he said. "His comments are inappropriate."
The State Department official went on to emphasize that "any allegations that we are planning to take hostile action against the Venezuelan government are completely baseless and without fact."
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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