The Venezuelan government ordered the withdrawal of its diplomatic representatives from Paraguay after the country’s president, Santiago Peña, declared that Edmundo González was the winner of last year’s election, defending the opponent’s inauguration on January 10th.
A few days before President Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration for a third term (2025-2031), the head of the Executive, in Caracas, accused the Argentine government of organizing destabilization actions in the country, which would include the attempted assassination of the vice-president. President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez.
Meanwhile, opponent Edmundo González, who claims to be the winner of the 2024 presidential election, met with officials in Washington, including the President of the United States (USA), Joe Biden, and President-elect Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor. , Mike Waltz.
FILE PHOTO: Venezuelan presidential opposition Edmundo Gonzalez. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo – REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reproduction prohibited
Mexico has already reinforced that it will send a representative to Maduro’s inauguration. “Our stance is what is in the Constitution, with all governments in the world, the self-determination of the people. In the case of Venezuela, a representative will be present at the inauguration and we don’t see why this shouldn’t be the case. And this corresponds to Venezuelans and not Mexico to define”, stated President Cláudia Sheibaum this Monday (6).
Despite not having recognized Maduro’s victory due to the non-publication of detailed electoral data, Colombia and Brazil must send representatives to the inauguration. In the case of Brazil, the sending of the ambassador to Caracas, Glivânia Maria de Oliveira, depends on an invitation from the Venezuelan government.
According to Caracas, more than two thousand international guests are already in the country to attend Maduro’s inauguration, including representatives of governments, social and cultural movements.
Paraguay
In relation to Paraguay, the break in relations occurred after President Santiago Peña defended the opponent’s inauguration. The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued that Peña’s position violates the principle of international law of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other nations.
Rio de Janeiro (RJ), 11/18/2024 – President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña. Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR – Ricardo Stuckert/PR
“It is regrettable that governments like that of Paraguay continue to subordinate their foreign policy to the interests of foreign powers, promoting agendas that aim to undermine democratic principles and the will of free peoples,” stated the Venezuelan ministry.
In a statement, the Paraguayan government reinforced its position in favor of González and demanded the withdrawal of the Caracas ambassador from the country within 48 hours. “[O governo do Paraguai] recognizes Mr Edmundo González Urrutia as elected president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”, says the official note from Asunción.
Argentina
The Maduro government accused the Argentine government of being behind political destabilization actions in Venezuela, including an alleged plan to assassinate the country’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez.
Maduro stated that Venezuelan intelligence services have identified threats against the country that have been occurring since last year. “During this period, popular, police and military intelligence captured 125 mercenaries of almost 15 nationalities who came to carry out terrorist activities in Venezuela,” said the Venezuelan president, later corrected that the mercenaries came from 25 nationalities.
The Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez – Maxim Shemetov/Reuters/Rights reserved
According to Maduro, Argentina is behind plans to destabilize the country. “The Argentine government is involved in violent plans to undermine the peace of Venezuela. So I report it. All processes are judicialized and at a very high level of investigation”, he stated.
Javier Milei’s government did not comment on the accusations until the publication of this report. The Argentine government has been one of the main critics of the Venezuelan government and has given broad support to opponent Edmundo González. Last Saturday (4), Milei received González in Buenos Aires.
United States
In the United States, Edmundo González received the support of President Joe Biden, who called him “president-elect of Venezuela”. The US president defended “a peaceful transfer of power to the true winner of the presidential election”.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry repudiated the official US position. “It is grotesque that an outgoing government, like that of Joe Biden, plunged into political discredit and marked by a legacy of national and international failures, insists on supporting a violent project that has already been defeated by the popular vote and the revolutionary democracy of the Venezuelan people. ”, stated the Caracas government.
After meeting with Trump’s advisor, Mike Waltz, González reported that they talked about the protests that the opposition has called for next Thursday (9), the day before Maduro’s inauguration. “He assured us that the United States, and the world, will be alert about what happens in our country,” he said on a social network.
Edmundo González has defended the Venezuelan military’s action against the government and promises to return to the country before inauguration day, scheduled for Friday (10). Until then, the politician was in exile in Spain. In turn, the Maduro government promises to arrest González if you return to the country.
Understand
Venezuela’s opposition and part of the international community, such as the United States and the European Union, as well as international and electoral organizations, have pointed out that the Venezuelan election failed to comply with the country’s rules by not carrying out planned audits and not disclosing data by electoral tableas has always happened.
The acts that contested the electoral result after July 28, 2024 led to dozens of deaths and more than two thousand prisoners. In recent weeks, Venezuelan justice has released more than a thousand people detained in demonstrations.
In turn, the government argues that elections were ratified by the country’s institutionsboth the National Electoral Council (CNE) and the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). With this, it has demanded that the opposition respect the court’s decision and that foreign governments do not interfere in Venezuela’s internal issues.
