By Enrique Andres Pretel
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist President HugoChavez on Wednesday ordered the U.S. ambassador out of the oilexporting country in an escalating battle between Washingtonand Latin America's left-wing leaders.
"Go to hell, shit yankees, we are a dignified people, go tohell 100 times," Chavez shouted at a political rally tothousands of roaring supporters.
Chavez's move came a day after Bolivian President EvoMorales, one of his closest allies, expelled the U.S.ambassador in La Paz on accusations that he was instigatingviolent protests in the Andean nation.
The United States responded on Thursday by ejectingBolivia's ambassador in Washington, and Chavez said the UnitedStates should send back Venezuela's top envoy straight away.
"We will send an ambassador when there is a new governmentin the United States, a government that respects the people ofLatin America," he said.
Eight people were killed as violent anti-governmentprotests flared in Bolivia on Thursday, creating havoc in itscrucial natural gas industry.
Earlier in the day, Chavez spiced up a nascent campaign forVenezuela's tough local elections in November with allegationsthat retired military officers were planning to assassinatehim. He also ordered a reduction of U.S. flights to Venezuelaand pledged to support Morales in the event of a coup againsthim.
(Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Kieran Murray)
