After years of vitriolic rhetoric on the part of United States leaders, the government of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has decided on a policy of containment of the U.S. "We recognize the U.S. government as having been elected through a fairly democractic process, despite unanswered questions as to the validity of the last two presidential elections," said a high-ranking Venezuelan foreign ministry spokesperson, speaking on background, "and we look forward to having the U.S. play a constructive and mature role in the development of the Americas."