Maduro’s dictatorship expelled the ambassador from the European Union: he gave him 72 hours to leave Venezuela

Nicolás Maduro’s regime on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of the ambassador of the European Union, Isabel Brilhante, who was given 72 hours to leave Venezuelan territory, in retaliation for the bloc’s latest sanctions against 19 Chavez officials.

“By decision of President Nicolás Maduro, we handed over to Ms. Isabelle Brilhante, who in recent years was head of the European Union delegation in Venezuela, the declaration ungrateful person», Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said at a press conference.

The day before, the National Assembly had approved a “repudiation agreement” against the sanctions and proposed “to urge” the executive power to expel the diplomat.

The latest sanctions affect, among other officials, Remigio Ceballos, one of Venezuela’s main military leaders; Indira Alfonzo, head of the National Electoral Council; and two members of Congress.

They were implemented in reaction to the legislative elections of December 6, boycotted and labeled a fraud by the main opposition political parties and unknown to the United States, the European Union and several Latin American countries. That vote gave the ruling party and its allies 256 out of 277 seats.

For its part, the local opposition had warned against the possible effects of the measure, arguing that could result in immediate suspension of humanitarian aid programs.

“This will only further isolate Maduro and he will receive a strong repudiation from the free world. International democratic pressure is a response to the destruction of freedoms in the country, in an effort to prevent free elections. It won’t stop until democracy is restored», Said Julio Borges, coordinator of Primero Justicia.

Venezuela became the first Latin American country to be sanctioned by the EU in 2017, which has since approved measures against 55 Venezuelan officials, including a ban on travel to its space and an asset freeze.

This is the second time since June 2020 that Venezuela has expelled the representative of the bloc from the country because of the sanctions applied by the EU.

In the middle of last year, however, Caracas overturned its decision after contacts over the need to maintain diplomatic relations. This time, Arreaza argued: “We have done everything (…) to stabilize democratic coexistence in the country and again sanctions, in quotation marks, against the magistrates, against the judiciary, against the electoral power. . It is truly unacceptable. President Maduro was generous in allowing heads of missions and missions, including those from European Union countries, to stay in Venezuela when, in February 2019, they ignored him ”. This latest decision not to legitimize Maduro came after the controversial 2019 re-election.

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