MEXICO CITY, March 5 (RIA Novosti) - Venezuela has decided to expel a US military attaché accusing him of conspiracy, Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday.

David Del Monaco, a US Embassy Air Force attaché, will be expelled for an attempt to “destabilize the country,” Maduro said, adding that the US embassy official had met with Venezuelan military officers to find out information about the situation in the armed forces and propose destabilizing the country.

“He has 24 hours to leave Venezuela,” the vice president said.

Maduro, who led a government meeting Tuesday following reports that the health of President Hugo Chavez, 58, was failing, accused Venezuela’s enemies of causing cancer in Chavez.

“Historic enemies of our homeland were seeking to harm the health of our commander,” local media quoted Maduro as saying at the meeting. The vice president also said the issue would be investigated by a special commission.

He said Chavez is now in his “most difficult hours” since the December 11, 2012 surgery in Cuba.