Exclusive: Peace Corps, Fulbright Scholar Asked to 'Spy' on Cubans, Venezuelans

[Joanne98]

U.S. Embassy Official's 'Spy' Request Violated Long-Standing U.S. Policy
By JEAN FRIEDMAN-RUDOVSKY and BRIAN ROSS
Feb. 8, 2008—



In an apparent violation of U.S. policy, Peace Corps volunteers and a Fulbright scholar were asked by a U.S. Embassy official in Bolivia "to basically spy" on Cubans and Venezuelans in the country, according to Peace Corps personnel and the Fulbright scholar involved.

Click here to read this article in Spanish. (Haz click aquí para leer este artículo en español.)

"I was told to provide the names, addresses and activities of any Venezuelan or Cuban doctors or field workers I come across during my time here," Fulbright scholar John Alexander van Schaick told ABCNews.com in an interview in La Paz.

Van Schaick's account matches that of Peace Corps members and staff who claim that last July their entire group of new volunteers was instructed by the same U.S. Embassy official in Bolivia to report on Cuban and Venezuelan nationals.

The State Department says any such request was "in error" and a violation of long-standing U.S. policy which prohibits the use of Peace Corps personnel or Fulbright scholars for intelligence purposes.

"We take this very seriously and want to stress this is not in any way our policy," a senior State Department official told ABCNews.com.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4262036&page=1

[DrDan]

1. this whole administration is an error

Jan '09 cannot come quickly enough.

[RufusEarl]

2. I first heard this story by Amy Goodman, and of course wasn't surprised at all.

This admin, have no scruples at all.

Peace!