The United States is playing dueling ambassadors with two leftist Latin-American nations.

Earlier this week, Bolivia’s Evo Morales, who has growing domestic political problems, ordered the U.S. ambassador out of La Paz. The State department responded by ordering the Bolivian ambassador out of Washington.

Not to be outdone by someone he treats as somewhat of a protege, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez also ordered the U.S. ambassador to leave his country. The State department then declared Venezuela’s envoy persona non grata, even though Chavez said he was pulling his man out bef...