Roger Noriega: It was a wise decision to expel Livia Acosta from the US

Roger Noriega, former US ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), referred to the situation involving the Venezuelan consul to Miami Livia Acosta, and said that the US State Department had "no choice but to expel" the diplomatic in the face of evidence showing intent "to harm" the national security.

"They (State Department) had no other choice, because the evidence, the video images of Livia Acosta talking to some people about launching attacks on government websites around the United States, show a willingness to harm national security, which is totally unacceptable for a diplomat," Noriega said on Tuesday in a radio interview in Miami.

He added the US government has information that Acosta is an agent of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin), which is "the intelligence branch of President Hugo Chávez, and it is unacceptable to have such people because they pose a threat to the country and runs counter to the interests of Venezuelans living in the US."

Noriega, who was the Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs during the administration of George W. Bush, hoped that Miami Congressmen will go ahead with their investigation into Venezuelan diplomats who are allegedly intelligence agents.

"We must recognize that for a decade, Chávez has launched an asymmetric war against the security interests of the United States, and along with Cuba, Russia and Iran, he has the tools to harm our security and threaten our people," Noriega said.

He added that "for the first time" President Barack Obama has talked about the presence of Iran and has "committed" to monitor the activities of that country in the hemisphere.