The withdrawal of its diplomatic personnel from seven Latin American countries was announced yesterday by the Venezuelan government, in protest against the “interference” of its governments in the country’s internal affairs, by putting at risk the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro to the post in Sunday’s elections.
The list of seven countries includes Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.
According to a statement released by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Caracas considers that the position of the governments of these countries harms “the national sovereignty” of Venezuela.
Suspension of flights to and from Panama and the Dominican Republic
At the same time, the Venezuelan government will suspend until further notice starting tomorrow Wednesday flights to or from Panama and the Dominican Republic due to “interference” by the governments of the two countries in its internal affairs. The government has decided to “temporarily suspend commercial flights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to or from Panama and the Dominican Republic starting July 31,” according to a related announcement.
Itamaraty orders Venezuelan diplomats to leave within 72 hours
In turn, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry yesterday ordered Venezuelan diplomats accredited in the country to leave the territory within 72 hours, following Sunday’s presidential elections in which Nicolás Maduro was re-elected. Peruvian diplomacy cited in its announcement the “arbitrary decisions (…) of the Venezuelan regime.”
President Dinas Bolluarte’s government stressed yesterday that it does not accept what it describes as a violation of the popular will in Venezuela and announced that it had recalled Peru’s ambassador for consultations.
Uruguay ‘will never recognize Maduro’s victory’
Uruguayan Foreign Minister Omar Paganini said yesterday in an interview with CNN that his government will “never” recognize Nicolás Maduro’s victory in Sunday’s presidential elections in Venezuela, since the opposition won outright, according to him.
Special Meeting of the Organization of American States
The Organization of American States (OAS) announced yesterday that an extraordinary meeting of its permanent council will be held tomorrow to address the results of Sunday’s presidential elections in Venezuela, where the national electoral council announced the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro, a result rejected by the opposition and challenging governments in several states. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. (local time; 10:00 p.m. Greek time) at the regional body’s headquarters in Washington, at the request of 12 of its member states.