World | Venezuela US Kicks Out 2 Venezuelan Diplomats Retaliation for USAF officers expelled from Venezuela last week By Matt Cantor Posted Mar 12, 2013 7:32 AM CDT Copied Venezuela's acting president Nicolas Maduro waves a Venezuelan flag over supporters after registering his candidacy for president Monday, March 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) The United States is expelling a pair of junior Venezuelan diplomats from Washington and New York City, returning Venezuela's move a week ago to boot two US Air Force attachés from its borders. "Around the world, when our people are thrown out unjustly, we’re going to take reciprocal action," says a State Department rep, per the New York Times. "We need to do that to protect our own people." "We do hope for better relations with Venezuela," says the State rep, though the AP notes that Washington counts itself as "highly disappointed" so far with interim President Nicolas Maduro. "But it’s going to take a change of tone from Caracas." Read These Next President Trump struck defiant tone after tariffs loss at court. Trump aide gives punny response to Springsteen. Patrick Dempsey, Shonda Rhimes pay tribute to Eric Dane. Hundreds offer to adopt dog abandoned at airport. Report an error