US: Closure of Miami consulate is Venezuela's sovereign decision

The United States believes that the closure of the Consulate of Venezuela in Miami is a "sovereign decision" of the government of Hugo Chávez and added that Washington will not respond to Caracas' action by taking any new steps in response to Venezuela's move, a State Department spokesperson told Efe on Friday.

"The decision on how to manage their consulates and provide consular services to their citizens abroad is solely in the hands of the government of Venezuela," State Department spokesman for Latin America William Ostick told Efe.

Therefore, the United States "respects" Chávez's decision to close administratively the consulate in Miami, after the State Department announced on Sunday the expulsion of Venezuelan Consul General to Miami Livia Acosta Noguera without specifying the reasons.

Ostick ruled the possibility of taking any new steps in response to Venezuela's move to shut down its consulate in Miami. He added that Washington turned the page on the issue of Acosta by evicting her from the United States.

"The move has been made already, no new measures will follow," he said.

The official stressed that the expulsion of Acosta does not involve "any profound changes" in US policy toward Venezuela, as US State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said on Thursday.

"This has been a difficult and complex relationship, but that does not change the fact that if there were ways to improve, we would be open to it," Nuland said.

Chávez on Friday described the expulsion of Acosta as "unfair" and "outrageous." He said that he decided to close the mission in Miami based on the recommendation made by his Foreign Minister, Nicolás Maduro.