Associated Press - November 8, 2008 4:45 PM ET

HOUSTON (AP) - The U.S. State Department has ordered a dozen officials at the Venezuelan consulate in Houston to leave the country after the South American government moved its offices in the city before receiving permission.

The officials have until tomorrow to leave the United States. That's what a State Department official tells the Houston Chronicle for its Saturday editions.

The newspaper reported that the consular office was locked yesterday and a notice taped in the window said it would remain closed until further notice for reasons "beyond our control." A similar notice was posted on the consulate Web site today.

The expulsion stemmed from the Venezuelan Consulate's Aug. 2 request to move its Houston office to another location less than five miles away. According to international protocol, all foreign diplomatic missions in the U.S. must clear such moves with the State Department, which has 60 days to approve.

On Sept. 18, although the State Department had not yet responded to the request, officials learned that the Houston office had a new address on the Web site of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington. That's what a senior State official told the Chronicle, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment.

State Department officials then warned the Venezuelan government to stop operating out of the new office. However, in early October, the department learned that the consular office was still open.

On Oct. 31, State officials informed the Venezuelan government that it was revoking the visas, immunity and other diplomatic privileges of the 12 Venezuelan employees. That same day, the department approved the consulate's transfer to the new location.

The deputy chief of mission at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. said that situation is "of a technical nature relating to consular rules; it is not political."

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