US envoy Bolton scolds Venezuelan for "street theater"

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 25 (Reuters) The US ambassador to the United Nations accused Venezuela's foreign minister of ''street theater'' after he was briefly detained at a New York airport in an incident that strained already tense relations.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro was detained for a short time at John F Kennedy airport on his way home after attending the UN General Assembly, where President Hugo Chavez called US President George W Bush ''the devil.'' Speaking on Venezuelan television, Maduro denounced the US government for ''violating international law,'' and a US State Department spokesman apologized on Saturday.

But U.S. envoy John Bolton made no apologies today when asked about the detention: ''There was no incident at the airport. This was Venezuelan street theater,'' he told reporters.

''He did not request the courtesies we would have extended to get him through the airport,'' Mr Bolton said.

''He purchased his ticket at a time and in a manner and with funding such that he was asked to go to secondary screening and he objected to that, and the first thing he did was call the press and speak to them in Spanish.'' ''This was propaganda,'' Bolton said. ''I'm just not going to comment on that kind of non-serious performance.'' The State Department said on Saturday that airport security had questioned the foreign minister and then US diplomatic security was sent to the airport to resolve the issue.

The minister was told he could board the plane before it took off but he chose instead to return to New York City, the State Department added.

Chavez said the detention was ''provocation from Mr. Devil.'' Chavez continually accuses the United States of plotting to overthrow and assassinate him, charges Washington dismisses.

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