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Venezuela condemns US human-trafficking report

Published:Thursday | June 30, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, hugs Charimaya Tamang of Nepal, a victim herself, as she is awarded the 2011 Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award, Monday, during the release of the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, at the State Department in Washington. - AP

CARACAS (AP):

Venezuela is condemning a US State Department report that lists the country among those failing to combat human trafficking.

Venezuela's Foreign Ministry says in a statement that the government will open an investigation to "determine the responsibility" of US Embassy officials in preparing such reports.

It says such work would go beyond the diplomatic functions for which US officials are accredited.

Tuesday's statement came a day after the US State Department included Venezuela among 23 nations that it says are failing to meet international standards to combat human trafficking.

It says some Venezuelan women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking and forced prostitution.