Posted: 00:12 EDT
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Delcry Rodriguez (@DrodriguezVen) is the Venezuelan Foreign Minister. Her equivalent in rank in the U.S. Government is Secretary of State John Kerry.
A few weeks back, Western Hemisphere Assistant Secretary Roberta Jacobson (@WHAAsstSecty) tweeted four items on Venezuela. Note that she is the top diplomat at the State Department’s Western Hemisphere Affairs bureau. She reports to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs (“P”) Wendy Sherman, who in turn is outranked by the Deputy Secretary of State Higginbottom (D/MR) and Deputy Secretary Blinken (D) who both report directly to Secretary of State Kerry.
So when Foreign Minister Rodriguez took on Assistant Secretary Jacobson on Twitter, one has to wonder, what was she thinking? Asst Secretary Jacobson is a top official at the WHA bureau but nowhere near the rank of a foreign minister. Can you imagine Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arguing publicly with the State Department’s Toria Nuland from the EUR bureau? No. Can you imagine Secretary Kerry sparring publicly with a lower-ranked official from the Venezuelan foreign ministry? Nope.
So every time the foreign minister opens her mouth to argue, berate or call the WHA diplomat names, we’ll award the diplomatic heavyweight championship belt to the assistant secretary. Assistant Secretary Jacobson wins simply by being in the same ring with Foreign Minister Rodriguez.
Deeply concerned by what appears to be escalation of intimidation of opponents by govt. of #Venezuela by rounding up opposition. (1/4)
— Roberta Jacobson (@WHAAsstSecty) February 20, 2015
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1. @WHAAsstSecty Ms. Jacobson, it wouldn’t be bad for you to study more about Venezuelan democratic institutions and our legal system
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
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2. @WHAAsstSecty sometimes, ignorance can lead us to precipices that blind reason and induce us to make dangerous and costly mistakes
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
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We have consistently called on govt. of #Venezuela to release those it has unjustly jailed and to improve respect for #HumanRights. (2/4)
— Roberta Jacobson (@WHAAsstSecty) February 20, 2015
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3. @WHAAsstSecty well-known criminals and justice fugitives are inexplicably protected in your country, thus reinforcing impunity
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
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4. From your imperialist position, it must be extremely difficult to understand Venezuelans’ determination of independence and sovereignty
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
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The only way to solve problems of #Venezuela is through real dialogue among Venezuelans – not attempting to silence critics. (3/4)
— Roberta Jacobson (@WHAAsstSecty) February 20, 2015
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5. How can you explain to the world the support your government provides to political opponents who violate the constitutional order?
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
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The region should also work to ensure the govt. of #Venezuela lives up to its shared commitment to democracy. (4/4)
— Roberta Jacobson (@WHAAsstSecty) February 20, 2015
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6. @WHAAsstSecty It is only through bursts of bullets and twisting arms that you can whitewash the faces of these apprentices of terrorists
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
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7. @WHAAsstSecty The Government of the BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC of VENEZUELA and its people, heir of freedom, reject your imperialist meddling
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) February 20, 2015
Oh dear, that’s an ALL CAPS alert!
Now, once more, with feelings:
Venezuela’s #1 diplomat going after US diplomat who’s 5th level down from #1 US diplomat http://t.co/wh7c92Am9U
— Diplopundit (@Diplopundit) March 12, 2015
Meanwhile in Cuba:
US and Cuba hold last-minute talks on re-establishing diplomatic ties http://t.co/PEzMD7SKn8
— Guardian World (@guardianworld) March 16, 2015
#
Yeah, well, I guess… OK, ahem, maybe you are technically correct.
But I was always astounded, posted overseas, that every visiting Tom, Dick and Harriet thought the Embassy could arrange a sitdown with the Prime Minister. “Sir”, I fantasized myself saying, “you’re nothing but the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Customs”. Who the heck do you think you are? And the general attitude in Front Offices where I served was that any attempted rank equivalences were bogus. We’re the USofA, damnit it, and any any federal office holder is as important as the “homologue-plus-three” in Buttcrackistan.