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2 American Embassy Officials Are Shot in Venezuela Strip Club 2 American Embassy Officials Are Shot in Venezuela Strip Club
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LIMA, Peru — Two staff members of the American Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, were shot and wounded at a strip club there early Tuesday, according to officials.LIMA, Peru — Two staff members of the American Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, were shot and wounded at a strip club there early Tuesday, according to officials.
The two men were members of the support staff in the office of the defense attaché, according to a State Department official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to provide details of the episode. The official said there was no immediate indication of a political motive behind the shootings, which appeared to have occurred after a fight broke out in the club. The two men are members of the support staff in the office of the defense attaché, according to a State Department official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to provide details of the episode. The official said there was no immediate indication of a political motive behind the shootings, which appeared to have occurred after a fight broke out in the club.
One of the men was shot in the abdomen and leg and the other was shot once in the abdomen, according to local officials. The wounds were not considered life threatening, according to a statement released by the embassy. One of the men was shot in the abdomen and a leg, and the other was shot once in the abdomen, according to local officials. The wounds were not considered life threatening, according to a statement released by the embassy.
Local authorities identified one of the men as Roberto Ezequiel Rosas. The local authorities identified one of the men as Roberto Ezequiel Rosas.
The events were being investigated by the intelligence police because they involved American Embassy personnel, the police said. As of Tuesday evening, no arrests had been reported. The local news media reported that the two men were shot after a brawl broke out in the nightspot, the Antonella Club. The entrance to the club is in the underground parking garage of a small shopping center in a section of Caracas that includes both middle-class and poorer neighborhoods. The events were being investigated by the intelligence police because they involved American Embassy personnel, the police said. As of Tuesday evening, no arrests had been reported.
Will Ostick, a State Department spokesman in Washington, said that area of Caracas was not off limits for embassy staff. Caracas has one of the highest murder rates in the region, and kidnappings and muggings are common. Many people carry guns, and gun-related crimes are frequent. The local news media reported that the two men had been shot after a brawl broke out in the nightspot, the Antonella Club. The entrance to the club is in the underground parking garage of a small shopping center in a section of Caracas that includes both middle-class and poorer neighborhoods.
William Ostick, a State Department spokesman in Washington, said that area of Caracas was not off limits for embassy staff. Caracas has one of the highest murder rates in the region, and kidnappings and muggings are common. Many people carry guns, and gun-related crimes are frequent.
The newly elected president, Nicolás Maduro, has vowed to make crime reduction one of his signature efforts. Previous attempts to tackle crime failed to stop the rising murder rate during the 14-year government of Mr. Maduro’s predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chávez, who died in March. Mr. Chávez had cancer.The newly elected president, Nicolás Maduro, has vowed to make crime reduction one of his signature efforts. Previous attempts to tackle crime failed to stop the rising murder rate during the 14-year government of Mr. Maduro’s predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chávez, who died in March. Mr. Chávez had cancer.
On the day that Mr. Chávez died, Mr. Maduro expelled two American Air Force attachés stationed at the embassy, saying that they had been involved in activities meant to destabilize the country. On the day that Mr. Chávez died, Mr. Maduro expelled two American Air Force attachés stationed at the embassy, saying they had been involved in activities meant to destabilize the country. He said they had tried to gather information from Venezuelan military personnel and sought to recruit them for what he called destabilizing projects.
He said they had tried to gather information from Venezuelan military personnel and sought to recruit them for what he called destabilizing projects.
More recently Mr. Maduro accused them of directing and financing groups opposed to the government. He has offered no proof for any of the accusations, which the American government has denied.More recently Mr. Maduro accused them of directing and financing groups opposed to the government. He has offered no proof for any of the accusations, which the American government has denied.
The strip club setting of the shootings in Caracas carries echoes of an embarrassing episode last year in which a group of Secret Service agents preparing for a visit by President Obama to Cartagena, Colombia, were sent home after some of them took prostitutes to their hotel rooms.The strip club setting of the shootings in Caracas carries echoes of an embarrassing episode last year in which a group of Secret Service agents preparing for a visit by President Obama to Cartagena, Colombia, were sent home after some of them took prostitutes to their hotel rooms.

María Eugenia Díaz contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela.

María Eugenia Díaz contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela.