[Cincinatus' Wife]

You know things are really bad in Venezuela when...***"The decision not to send Miss Venezuela to this prestigious international contest came after we exhausted all our efforts to send our usual and always distinguished representative," the organization said in a statement on its Web site. "But the serious political and economic crisis Venezuela is going through has posed an obstacle insurmountable for the moment."***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Anti-Chavez Puppeteer Doesn't Speak for Washington***WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A comedian who used a puppet to ridicule the Venezuelan president at the home of the U.S. ambassador in Caracas does not speak for Washington and his skit was "inappropriate," the State Department said on Monday.

The male comedian dressed up as a Venezuelan female media broadcaster and employed a large puppet wearing a red beret to represent Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at the event on Tuesday at the home of U.S. ambassador Charles Shapiro. The State Department accused the comedian of "abusing" his hospitality at the event marking International Press Freedom Day. "The skit presented May 13 by a Venezuelan comedian during the international press freedom event at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Caracas caught everyone by surprise," said State Department spokeswoman Lynn Cassel. "It was inappropriate. "All should understand that this Venezuelan comedian does not represent the U.S. government. He abused Ambassador Shapiro's hospitality," she added. ***