VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO U.S. CALLS ROBERTSON REMARKS "A CALL TO TERRORISM"

Just heard on CNN: Venezuela's U.S. Ambassador's response to Pat Robertson.

The ambassador said Robertson is an ally of Bush, was instrumental in his 2000 primary victory in South Carolina, and is a former candidate for the GOP presidential nomination. His organization, the Christian Coalition, has two million members. His statement calling for the assassination of president Chavez is a call to terrorism, a call for American intervention into the affairs of a sovereign state. Venezuela demands that the U.S. abide by international law and respect our legally elected president. The Bush administration must denounce Robertson in the strongest terms. From the messages we have received it is clear that Pat Robertson does not speak for Christians in U.S. nor even the Christian Coalition when he calls for the assassination of our president. The U.S. must guarantee the safety of our president when he visits the U.S., such as when he visits the UN in New York.

It is clearly established in the Bible that you don't kill anybody. I think there should be the strongest condemnation of his remarks by the White House. Mr. Robertson is not of course only a private citizen. We think that he is an important person in your country and this is why we think the strongest condemnation is necessary. From all sides we have received messages, including the National Council of Churches, with strong condemnations of the statement.

Why have the White House and State Department even hesitated? They should, of course, have IMMEDIATELY denounced Robertson. That they haven't, speaks volumes.

UPDATE: CNN reports that Chavez says he doesn't know who Pat Robertson is and couldn't care less what he says. He's in Havana visiting with Castro. He said he was willing to sell Venezuelan oil at cut-rate prices to needy people in the U.S. who can't afford the current high prices.