LIMA: Peru has recalled its ambassador in Caracas for consultations as the countries' governments traded insults over the crisis in Venezuela and ties with Washington.
In a protest note to the Venezuelan embassy in Lima, Peru expressed "total rejection of the insolent comments" against its President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.
Kuczynski had annoyed Venezuela's socialist government by calling for Latin America to intervene in what he termed a "humanitarian crisis" in the country.
The United States "does not invest much time in Latin America since (that region) is like a friendly dog sleeping on the rug, but in the case of Venezuela it is a big problem," Kuczynski said, during a recent speech in the United States.
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez retorted by calling Kuczynski a "coward," during a speech in Caracas yesterday.
She said he was the "dog wagging its tail at the empire" -- a reference to Kuczynski's recent diplomatic visit to the United States.
Peru's protest note called the Venezuelan comments "unacceptable between two states with diplomatic relations, in which framework the authorities should show mutual respect."