Caracas, Venezuela/Asuncion, Paraguay
Reuters
Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with Paraguay on Monday, with Paraguay expelling Venezuela’s diplomats in the country in return, a day after Paraguayan President Santiago Pena expressed support for Venezuela’s opposition.
Paraguay’s President Santiago Pena speaks during an interview with Reuters, in Asuncion, Paraguay, on 21st August, 2024. PICTURE: Reuters/Cesar Olmedo/File photo.
Pena on Sunday spoke with Venezuela’s opposition leaders and called Edmundo Gonzalez, who is in exile, the winner of Venezuela’s presidential elections last year.
The opposition has published detailed vote tallies showing Gonzalez’s win, but President Nicolas Maduro was declared winner by the electoral authority and the nation’s top court without presenting such evidence.
Maduro is set to be inaugurated for his third term on Friday.
Pena said on X that he “expressed our commitment to continue working together with the international community, not only to recognize [Gonzalez’] victory, but to contribute to the prompt restoration of democracy in Venezuela.”
In turn, Venezuela’s government said in a statement that it “rejected” Pena’s comments and that it would break diplomatic relations with Paraguay.
Paraguay’s presidency doubled down after the break, again stating it recognised Gonzalez as the winner of Venezuela’s elections and ordered Venezuela’s diplomats in the country to leave within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez said on Monday he had a fruitful meeting with US President Joe Biden and spoke at length with President-elect Donald Trump’s security advisor.
“The people of Venezuela deserve a peaceful transfer of power to the true winner of their presidential election,” Biden said on X, saying Gonzalez should be taking the oath of office in four days, when incumbent President Nicolas Maduro is set to officially begin his third term in office.
“We had a long, fruitful and cordial conversation with President Biden and his team,” Gonzalez told journalists after meeting Biden at the White House.
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The Venezuelan Government said in a statement it was “grotesque” that Biden was backing a “violent project” to usurp the country’s democracy.
Later in the afternoon Gonzalez said on X that he had a long meeting with Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security advisor.
“Among various issues that we talked about in detail was the civic protest of Venezuelans this January 9,” Gonzalez added. “He guaranteed that the United States and the world will be alert about what happens in our country.”
Maduro’s government has said repeatedly that the arrest of Gonzalez, who has been living in exile in Spain, will be sought if the opposition leader enters Venezuela.
– With SUSAN HEAVEY in Washington DC, US; and, JULIA SYMMES COBB in Bogota, Colombia; and DEISY BUITRAGO in Caracas, Venezuela.
