Venezuela is withdrawing its ambassador to Mexico amid an escalating dispute between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Mexican President Vicente Fox.
Speaking in Caracas Monday, Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez rejected Mexico's demand that Venezuela apologize for comments Mr. Chavez made about Mr. Fox on his weekly television show Sunday.
Mr. Chavez had given a warning to the Mexican president Sunday, saying "Don't mess with me, sir, or you will get pricked [hurt]."
Mr. Chavez also criticized Mr. Fox after last week's Summit of the Americas, saying Mr. Fox was the U.S. government's "cub" for supporting a U.S.-proposed Western Hemisphere free trade zone.
Mexico had threatened to expel the Venezuelan ambassador, and recall its own envoy to Caracas, unless Venezuela apologized by midnight today.
Some information for this story provided by AP and AFP.
