The government of Luis Lacalle Pou continues to closely monitor the situation in Venezuela under the government of Nicolás Maduro, which the Uruguayan president considers a “regime”, who proclaimed himself president after the controversial elections of July 28, the results of which have been strongly contested by a majority of Western democracies and by the Venezuelan opposition itself.
Uruguay’s position, expressed through multiple statements by both Lacalle Pou and Foreign Minister Omar Paganini, has been clear from the beginning: not recognize Maduro as president.
This decision led to the expulsion of the Uruguayan ambassador Silvana Montes de Oca and the diplomatic staff of six other countries, including Argentina, Chile and Peru, accused by the Chavista regime of “interference in internal affairs.”
Montes de Oca returned to Montevideo and was replaced by an administrative official designated as “in charge of archives,” according to government sources. This decision was officially communicated to Maduro on August 1 through a letter addressed to the Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Relations of Venezuela. The Venezuelan government’s response is currently awaited.
In this context, the Argentine opposition leader Javier Milei has considered meeting in Buenos Aires with Lacalle Pou and other regional leaders who do not recognize Maduro’s legitimacy. This move is part of Lacalle Pou’s foreign strategy, which seeks to avoid a complete break in relations with Caracas, described by government sources as a measure of “last resort.”
The objective is to coordinate actions at a regional level to exert the necessary “international pressure” to restore democracy in Venezuela and guide a transition of power toward Edmundo González, whom Uruguay recognizes as the true winner of the elections.
Vice-foreign minister Nicolás Albertoni described the current diplomatic situation as “grey” in an interview with Channel 12, indicating that it is an unusual scenario. “We did not break relations with Venezuela nor did we expel the Venezuelan ambassador from here. They are very difficult people, people who only know violence,” said Lacalle Pou in his last press conference.
“What is incredible is how power can blind someone so much. That’s it, do you want to be in government even though you are harming your people?” he said, stressing the need for the international community to maintain a firm stance.
Lacalle recognizes the position as victorious in Venezuela
Lacalle Pou also maintains constant communication with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding. At a recent mass event in Caracas, Machado once again denounced electoral fraud. Lacalle Pou has offered her protection in Uruguay if she requires it, an option that was also mentioned by Foreign Minister Paganini in statements to the press. However, Machado insists on remaining in Venezuela.
In the political arena, Albertoni stressed that the Frente Amplio’s reaction would be very different if it were in power. “We would hardly have a president with such a firm position of condemnation,” he added. According to him, within the Frente Amplio there are members who recognise Maduro as president and others who denounce fraud, which, according to Albertoni, would have led to an internal debate without a clear consensus.
For Albertoni, the evidence of a lack of transparency in the Venezuelan elections is irrefutable and everyone should be aligned on this point, even if there are differences in the details of the proposed actions.
