WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan diplomats stationed in Houston have been asked by the U.S. government to leave the country, State Department said on Monday.

    According to State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood, the Venezuelan government in August requested U.S authorization to lease office space for its consulate in Houston, but they went ahead and leased the property prior to getting authorization.

    The move was viewed by the department as a violation of the Foreign Relations Act, said Wood.

    "On Oct. 31, the department informed the Venezuelan Embassy that it intended to withdraw the privileges and immunities of the Venezuelan staff at the consulate, and cancel their diplomatic visas, ... therefore invited those individuals to depart the United States," Wood said in a statement.

    Venezuela still has permission to operate a consulate in Houston, said Wood, adding that a consular officer can serve temporarily at the new office space in Houston "until the Venezuelan government makes requests for visas for permanent replacement staff."

    "We will continue to work with the government of Venezuela to resolve staffing issues at the missions in both of our countries," he added.

    About two months ago, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy to leave Venezuela, accusing the Bush administration of trying to oust him and vowing to send an ambassador when "there is a new government in the United States."

    In the next day, U.S. State Department announced that the Venezuelan ambassador to the United States was expelled.