Extraordinary ruling powers granted to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez by a lame duck National Assembly are "an anti-democratic measure" that violates the Inter-American Democratic Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), said Arturo Valenzuela, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

United States is willing to have a "candid dialogue" with Venezuela. Therefore, Washington "regrets" that the Venezuelan government has withdrawn the agrément on US Ambassador-designate Larry Palmer, said the top US official in a speech on US policy towards Latin America in 2011, AFP reported.

Source: ElUniversal.com