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Jed Boal ReportingPolitical tension continues to simmer in Venezuela. Dozens of American protestant missionaries pulled out this weekend; LDS missionaries left the country months ago.
It's an edgy time for Americans in Venezuela. President Hugo Chavez frequently criticizes what he calls US imperialist dominance in world affairs, and accuses missionaries of different faiths of spying and exploiting the native people. It may be dangerous, but a returned LDS missionary tells us, it's different among the people.
The Bradfords waited a while for the safe return of Sister Susan Bradford. The returned missionary got a heartfelt welcome this Valentine's Day. She was serving an LDS mission in Barcelona, Venezuela when the church pulled its missionaries from the politically charged nation.
Susan Bradford, Returned Missionary: "The people there, a lot of them aren't necessarily in favor of the president right now, so they loved us. They knew we were there to share Jesus Christ, and that was it."
A week ago President Hugo Chavez called President Bush a madman, a nutcase and a danger to the world. In August, Christian leader Pat Robertson called on the US to assassinated Chavez. So, Chavez cracked down on which religions are allowed to preach. The LDS Church ran into trouble with visas and pulled its missionaries in October.
Susan Bradford, Returned Missionary: "President Chavez kicked out a bunch of evangelical missionaries. It's very easy to confuse missionaries, so they didn't want any harm or danger to come to us."
Dorothy Bradford, Mother: "I can't describe how unbelievably happy I was to have her back and have her safe."
Aside from being pulled out of the country, Bradford says she rarely felt the tension.
Susan Bradford: "You always heard about the elections. My first area was the island of Margarita. We saw the big gatherings in the Plaza. We had to stay in our apartments. We were kept safe and protected."
Bradford finished the remainder of her mission in California. She says she will always have wonderful friends in Venezuela.
