Politics  

Outgoing Colombian consul in Maracaibo, Carlos Galvis, lamented on Monday that he was "misunderstood" and was not making improper comments on Venezuela's internal policy during a tapped telephone conversation.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said last weekend that he would expel the consul in the event of not being recalled by Colombia. However, the diplomatic got in ahead and submitted his resignation, DPA reported.
 
The dispute arose when state-run TV channel Venezolana de Televisión aired a conversation where Galvis commented on the Venezuelan election for state governors and mayors. He was talking to José Obdulio Gaviria, one of the senior advisors to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe.

Galvis told radio station La FM that he was the target of "tergiversation" intended to make "a show."

According to Galvis, his talk focused on the Colombian government aid to Colombian residents in an area in western Venezuela and his remarks on the polls were private.