Top US diplomat in Venezuela under fire for tough comments
Todd Robinson
National Constituent Assembly president Delcy Rodriguez issued  a series of tweets targeting U.S. charge d'affaires Todd Robinson .  They  follow the release of an interview he gave a local online publication critical of the Venezuelan government.
 Robinson  told the publication RunRunes that it is possible Washington could ratchet up sanctions against Venezuela's critical oil sector  on top of sanctioning dozens of key government officials  such as President Nicolas Maduro.
"Everything is on the table "  Robinson  said. "Undoubtedly  the sanctions have been effective so far at identifying members of the regime who are corrupt or those who have played a role against Venezuela's institutions and Constitution."
 Robinson  criticized the electoral process ahead of presidential elections on April 22  when Maduro will seek a second term.  He  said Venezuela's military has a large influence on the country's future  but  he  walked a fine line adding that as a diplomat  he  will "never support a coup."
Pushing back   Rodriguez  said the National Constituent Assembly will evaluate  Robinson 's comments before adopting "corresponding diplomatic measures in defense of the sovereignty and dignity of Venezuelan's people."
She accused  Robinson  of violating international law and said  he 's guilty of being ignorant of Venezuela. She stopped short of stripping  Robinson 's diplomatic credentials — action taken in recent dust-ups with key diplomats from Canada  Brazil and Spain.
In  his  long diplomatic career  Robinson  has worked in Colombia  Bolivia  El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.  He  earned a reputation for speaking out as ambassador to Guatemala and several times faced calls for  his  expulsion.
Rodriguez retorted that  Robinson  began  his  new diplomatic assignment on "the wrong foot."
More recently   Robinson  accused Venezuelan authorities of unjustly holding Joshua Holt  a Utah man jailed on weapons charges.  Robinson  said Holt's case is the main obstacle to improving strained relations between the two countries.
National Constituent Assembly president Delcy Rodriguez issued  a series of tweets targeting [TGT] .  They  follow the release of an interview he gave a local online publication critical of the Venezuelan government.
 [TGT]told the publication RunRunes that it is possible Washington could ratchet up sanctions against Venezuela's critical oil sector  on top of sanctioning dozens of key government officials  such as President Nicolas Maduro.
"Everything is on the table [TGT]said. "Undoubtedly  the sanctions have been effective so far at identifying members of the regime who are corrupt or those who have played a role against Venezuela's institutions and Constitution.[TGT]criticized the electoral process ahead of presidential elections on April 22  when Maduro will seek a second term.  [TGT]  said Venezuela's military has a large influence on the country's future  but  [TGT]  walked a fine line adding that as a diplomat  [TGT]  will "never support a coup."
Pushing back   Rodriguez  said the National Constituent Assembly will evaluate  [TGT] 's comments before adopting "corresponding diplomatic measures in defense of the sovereignty and dignity of Venezuelan's people."
She accused  Robinson  of violating international law and said  he 's guilty of being ignorant of Venezuela. She stopped short of stripping  [TGT] 's diplomatic credentials — action taken in recent dust-ups with key diplomats from Canada  Brazil and Spain.
In  his  long diplomatic career  [TGT]has worked in Colombia  Bolivia  El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.  [TGT]  earned a reputation for speaking out as ambassador to Guatemala and several times faced calls for  [TGT]  expulsion.
Rodriguez retorted that  [TGT]began  [TGT]  new diplomatic assignment on "the wrong foot."
More recently   [TGT]accused Venezuelan authorities of unjustly holding Joshua Holt  a Utah man jailed on weapons charges.  [TGT]said Holt's case is the main obstacle to improving strained relations between the two countries.