CARACAS – The Venezuelan government has announced a measure to reduce the number of diplomats from the Netherlands, France, and Italy in Caracas to three per country. This decision is in response to what Venezuela perceives as “hostile actions” by these nations regarding the recent re-election of President Nicolás Maduro.
The new restriction applies to diplomats holding residency permits in Venezuela. Furthermore, these diplomats will now be required to obtain written permission to travel more than forty kilometers outside Plaza Bolívar in downtown Caracas, as stated by the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Maduro’s re-election has been widely disputed by the international community due to alleged irregularities during the election process. The Netherlands had previously offered asylum to opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia at the residence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ chargé d’affaires in Caracas.
In response to this Venezuelan measure, Minister of Foreign Affairs Casper Veldkamp of the Netherlands summoned the Venezuelan chargé d’affaires in The Hague. Veldkamp described the developments as an escalation that complicates dialogue and is now consulting with EU partners on an appropriate counteraction.
The affected countries have been given 48 hours to comply with Venezuela's demands. These developments could further strain diplomatic relations between Venezuela and European nations.