Hurricane Hugo

Chavez that is. He's just expelled the US Ambassador, following the lead of his Bolivian buddy Evo Morales who did the same yesterday.

Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered the U.S. ambassador out of the oil exporting country in an escalating battle between Washington and Latin America's left-wing leaders.

"Go to hell, s--- yankees, we are a dignified people, go to hell 100 times," Chavez shouted at a political rally to thousands of roaring supporters.

Chavez's move came a day after Bolivian President Evo Morales, one of his closest allies, expelled the U.S. ambassador in La Paz on accusations that he was instigating violent protests in the Andean nation.

The United States responded on Thursday by ejecting Bolivia's ambassador in Washington, and Chavez said the United States should send back Venezuela's top envoy straight away.

"We will send an ambassador when there is a new government in the United States, a government that respects the people of Latin America," he said.

Slick. Real slick.