Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union condemned Venezuela’s decision to reduce diplomatic staff and urged the reversal of the move to avoid further isolation.
According to a declaration issued by the Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Anitta Hipper, it says that the European Union expressed very deep regret and rejected any decision by Venezuelan authorities to slash the accredited staff of several members in Caracas and is fully in full solidarity with concerned member states.
The EU also called for an immediate reversal of what it referred to as a unilateral and unacceptable move.
Why did Venezuela reduce diplomatic staff from EU countries?
Venezuelan authorities recently announced major curbs on the diplomatic staff of France, Italy, and the Netherlands in Caracas, cutting the number of accredited diplomats from each country to three. Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil attributed the decision to the “hostile” responses from these nations regarding Nicolás Maduro’s recent presidential inauguration, which many international observers and governments have condemned as illegitimate.
This diplomatic escalation is in the wake of Maduro’s disputed re-election claim in July 2024, which was not recognized by the United States, the European Union, and other Latin American countries. It has heightened international scrutiny and sanctions against Maduro’s regime. In response to these developments, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp characterised Venezuela’s actions as an “escalation” that complicated potential dialogue between the nations.
