BBC: A series of tit-for-tat expulsions has left the US without ambassadors in three Latin American countries.
Bolivia and Venezuela have expelled their US envoys, accusing Washington of trying to oust Bolivia's government.
Washington has responded by throwing out envoys from Bolivia and Venezuela and freezing the assets of three aides to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Meanwhile, Honduras has refused the credentials of a new US ambassador, postponing his appointment.
US officials said the actions of Venezuela and Bolivia showed their leaders' "weakness and desperation".
The BBC's Emilio San Pedro said relations between the US and Latin American opponents such as Mr Chavez had seemed to be on a holding pattern.
But the situation has changed in a matter of days, he says.
This week's arrival in Venezuela of two Russian bomber planes taking part in a military exercise is not thought to have helped the situation.
And with more joint military exercises in the pipeline, our correspondent says it could take a while for tensions to subside. Expulsions Stoke US-LatAm Dispute >>> | September 12, 2008
NZZ Online:
Auch Venezuela weist US-Botschafter aus: Chávez spricht von Solidarität mit Bolivien
Der venezolanische Präsident Chávez hat die Ausweisungen der Botschafter in Bolivien und den USA für einen eigenen Vorstoss genutzt. Venezuela hat ebenfalls den amerikanischen Botschafter ausgewiesen und beordert seinen Botschafter in den USA zurück. >>> | 12. September 2008
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