Venezuela’s government cut diplomatic ties with Peru after Lima recognized Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as “president-elect,” despite the national electoral council declaring Nicolás Maduro the winner of Sunday’s presidential election.
Venezuela “has decided to cut diplomatic relations with the Republic of Peru (…) after the reckless statements of the Peruvian Foreign Minister that defy the will of the people” of the country “and our Constitution,” Foreign Minister Ivan Hill said via X.
The Peruvian government on Tuesday recognized Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the “legitimate” elected president of Venezuela, defying a decision by the country’s national electoral council (CNE). “Mr. Gonzalez (Urutia) is the elected and legitimate president of Venezuela,” Peruvian Foreign Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaecea told public television network TV Perú Noticias.
Nicolás Maduro, 61, was officially declared president-elect on Monday after the election results were announced by the CNE. The electoral commission, accused by the opposition of being on a sly duty, reported that Maduro received 5.15 million votes (51.2%), compared to 4.5 million votes for Edmundo González Urrutia (44.2%).
The opposition denounced “massive fraud” and assured that its own candidate won with “73%” of the votes. Part of the international community rejected the results announced by the CNE.
“It is clear that there was an intention to commit fraud on the part of the ruling party in Venezuela,” Foreign Minister Gonzalez-Olaetchea told RPP radio. “Until the end of his term (in January 2025) he is president (…) after that he will lead a de facto government,” he added, referring to Nicolás Maduro.
Peruvian diplomacy ordered diplomatic personnel in Caracas to leave the country “within 72 hours”, accusing the Venezuelan government of “arbitrary” decisions.
The Maduro government announced it is closing the country’s embassies in Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama and Peru until further notice. Diplomatic personnel from the seven countries have been ordered to leave Venezuelan territory. The seven Latin American countries, along with Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil and the United States, are demanding that the full results of Sunday’s elections be made public and verified.
At least 12 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the wave of protests against the re-election of President Maduro that have erupted since Monday, according to the latest report from the NGO Foro Penal.