Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez speaks during a meeting with supporters in Caracas September 11, 2008. President Hugo Chavez gave the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela Patrick Duddy 72 hours to leave the oil-rich South American country, saying the measure was a show of support for Bolivia.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    CARACAS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced on Thursday his decision to expel the U.S. ambassador and ordered him to leave the country in 72 hours.

    At a rally in Puereto Cabello port, central part of the country, Chavez said he would immediately withdraw his ambassador from Washington.

    Chavez said that U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy is no longer welcome, just as his close ally Bolivia deported the American envoy from La Paz a day earlier. In retaliation, the United States Thursday ordered Bolivian ambassador to Washington to leave.

    "They're trying to do here what they were doing in Bolivia," Chavez said, accusing Washington of trying to oust him.

    Chavez said, "We will send an ambassador when there is a new government in the United States."

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (L) greets new U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, Patrick Duddy, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas in this October 29, 2007 file photo. Chavez on September 11, 2008 gave the U.S. ambassador 72 hours to leave the oil-rich South American country, saying the measure was a show of support for Bolivia. ((Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Chavez announced the decision to oust Duddy hours after saying his government had uncovered a plot to overthrow him and detained a number of conspirators.

    In a live broadcast shown on television stations Thursday, Chavez played audio recordings he said were of retired military officers discussing plans to bomb the Miraflores Palace, headquarters of the national government, and kill the president.

    Chavez accused the United States of sponsoring the plan and denied that the plot was part of an electoral strategy made by high-level officers from his own ruling party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

    Bolivia has been hit by violent clashes between supporters and opponents of President Evo Morales in recent days, which have left at least eight people dead. Morales accused Washington of fanning the unrest with the aim of overthrowing his government.

Bolivia expels U.S ambassador for fanning protests

    LIMA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales on Wednesday requested U.S. ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg to leave the country immediately, accusing him of "heading the division" inside Bolivia by encouraging, together with the opposition, the protests against his government.

    According to reports reaching here from La Paz, administrative capital of Bolivia, Bolivian President Morales declared Goldberg as "persona non grata" at a ceremony in the Government Palace. He told Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca to notify him to leave the country immediately.   Full story