France recommended on Sunday September 15 that its nationals postpone all travel to Venezuela. “except for compelling reasons” due to a « regain de tensions » following the presidential election. The recommendations come after Venezuelan authorities arrested three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech, accused of being linked to an alleged plot to “destabilize” the country.
“For those already on site, it is strongly recommended to stay away from any demonstration or gathering of a political nature and to keep informed of the political and security situation.”added the Foreign Ministry’s Crisis and Support Centre in a travel advisory issued on Sunday. “It is also recommended to refrain from any expression on the Venezuelan political situation in the public space.”adds the text.
For his part, the head of diplomacy of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, described the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as « dictatorial » during an interview broadcast on Sunday in Spain. “In Venezuela, more than 2,000 people were arbitrarily detained after the elections. The opposition leader had to flee. Political parties are subject to a thousand restrictions in their activities.”Mr Borrell argued.
Twenty-seven dead in protests
“What do you call all this? Of course, it is a dictatorial regime.”the EU’s top diplomat told Spanish private television channel Telecinco, adding that “Venezuela called elections, but it was not a democracy before and it is much less so after”.
The statements come as Venezuelan authorities arrested three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech, accused of being linked to an alleged plot to “destabilize” the country, reporting the seizure of some 400 rifles from the United States. Washington and Madrid have denied any involvement in such an operation.
Mr Borrell’s comments provoked a strong reaction from Venezuela’s foreign minister, Yvan Gil, who described the European diplomat on Telegram as “spokesperson of evil” which would be found in the “dumping ground of history”. Mr Gil also accused Mr Borrell of having “transformed the European Union into a decrepit, colonialist and warlike institution”.
Read also | Venezuela accuses US of plotting against President Maduro, Washington rejects allegations as “categorically false”
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On Thursday, Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations and summoned Spain’s envoy to Caracas for talks after Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles called Maduro’s administration a “dictatorship” and greeted “Venezuelans who had to leave their country” because of his regime. Spain, like all EU member states, is demanding the full publication of the minutes issued by the polling stations following the presidential election of July 28, which the Venezuelan authorities have not done, saying they were victims of computer hacking.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the winner of the election, with 52% of the vote. But the opposition claims, based on the minutes provided by its scrutineers, that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the opponent of the outgoing leader exiled in Spain, obtained more than 60% of the votes. The spontaneous protests following the proclamation of the result of the election left 27 dead and 192 injured in the country, while some 2,400 people were arrested, according to official sources.
