Venezuela's London Embassy reaction to questions about the future of the (Chavez-Livingstone) deal is cause for concern!

Writing in his weekly column, Verdades de Trafalgar Square in today's issue of Verdades de Miguel, Patrick J. O'Donoghue highlights general concern for the fact that Venezuela's ambassador to London, Dr. Samuel Moncada has stone-walled media questions about the future of the Chavez-Livingstone accord following the election last weekend of Conservative Boris Johnson as London Mayor.

Johnson beat Labourite Ken Livingstone to the top job by a convincing majority and initial soundings from within his key management team suggested that there would be a rout on past, present and future cooperation with Venezuela because of Johnson's perception that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias is leading a "dictatorship."

It was also suggested that immediate funding to the pro-Livingstone Venezuelan Information Centre (VIC) in London would be terminated with immediate effect.

As Verdades de Miguel reports in today's edition, VHeadline approached Ambassador Moncada several times last weekend soliciting a comment to the breaking news but we were finally fobbed off by a very undiplomatic message that the embassador refused to speak with us. O'Donoghue himself sought comment form the ambassador but could get no response even from Moncada's alleged "press agent" the enigmatic VIC supremo Gordon Hutchinson.

O'Donoghue's article regrets that Moncada's attitude is scarcely diplomatic. He says that the ambassador's silence is perhaps indicative of the three "errors" in Venezuela's communications directed by the Minister (Andres Izarra) and that is is a "mistake" since instead of making good use of and elaborating on a willingness to help the Bolivarian process, "they are alienating important sectors." O'Donoghue notes that several (pro-democracy) websites are having to close down because of the "closed and sectarian attitude of the government" and that he can surmise the probl;ems which underline the patriotic alliance.

"In a year of such importance for Venezuela, openness on the part of the govenrment and its diplomats, withotu arrogance, shoudl be the criteria in London as well as in the United States and in the European Community."

• VHeadline is scheduled to meet this weekend for a special briefing with London Mayor Boris Johnson's chief of staff, Nick Boles, where undoubtedly the subject of the Venezuelan embassy's dilemma will be highlighted.