MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US Ambassador cautions President Lula da Silva

United States Ambassador in Brasilia Donna Hrinak cautioned president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to “carefully calibre his opposition” in crucial issues for the Bush administration such as the current situations in Venezuela and Cuba.

Ms. Hrinak said United States expects president Lula da Silva to convince Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez to assume a "democratic solution" in this country's crisis in direct reference to the recall referendum demanded by the Venezuelan opposition so far unsuccessfully, in spite of massive protests and the collection of millions of signatures.

Ms. Hrinak who was also ambassador in Venezuela where she had several clashes with President Chavez, underlined that "it's difficult to understand Brazil's silence given the recent abuses of human rights in Cuba".

The diplomat's remarks of her conference in the Florida International University were published this Sunday in Sao Paulo's main daily "O Estado de Sao Paulo".

Another issue which did not have kind words from Ambassador Hrinak was the Brazilian decision to tighten controls on US visitors to Brazil.