Alberto F.’s government approved the expulsion of the European Union ambassador from Venezuela

In wanting to avoid condemnation of the Nicolás Maduro regime, once again the government of Alberto Fernández and Cristina Kirchner approved it.

This happened on Thursday, when the International Contact Group for Venezuela condemned the expulsion of the European Union (EU) Ambassador to that country, Isabel Brilhante.

The sentence has been signed by all members of the group except for Argentina. “The decision runs counter to the dialogue and respect that should prevail in international relations, so it will only contribute to Venezuela’s greater international isolation, ”the statement from the International Contact Group said.

The Group considered that the only way out of the crisis is to resume political negotiations and resume dialogue between the parties with a view to transparent and credible elections.

The crisis between Chavismo and the Europeans is increasing and for many International isolation of Caracas will increase.

The paradox of the case is that the Alberto Fernández administration sought to join this group last August, as a way to decompress his critical situation with the Lima Group.

The government did not risk leaving when the president threatened it in his 2019 election campaign, but it never endorsed his critical statements about Chavism. Therefore, he joined the Contact Group because the Europeans were there, with whom he believed he had found a common space regarding the plight of Venezuela. This was not the case.

The Joe Biden government would also not carry the link with Caracas as the Argentines expected. Democratic President considers Maduro a “brutal dictator”, maintains sanctions against his country, and this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a dialogue with Juan Guaidó.

This Argentinian-born newspaper knows that in his dialogue with Alberto Fernández, Emmanuel Macron suggested that the president could be a valid interlocutor to talk with Maduro about a democratic solution in Venezuela. This is due to the relationship of Kirchnerism with Chavismo, considered here as a comparison with Peronism. “There is no way out of a crisis without Chavism as there is not without Peronism,” we have heard.

But different visions govern the region, and most want Maduro to step down and free and fair elections. This is a difference that Argentina cannot overcome under the current conditions.

On Wednesday 11, new reports from the High Commissioner for Human Rights will be presented again in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet and the United Nations Mission on the table of crimes against humanity in Venezuela. The Argentine government accompanied them. He still hasn’t said what he’s going to do this time.

Tensions with Europe as a whole have been twists and turns. Brussels has maintained sanctions against the regime’s leaders, but at the same time ambassadors in Caracas and a sometimes tense and sometimes “fluid” level of dialogue. The sparks have multiplied after Spain received opposition Leopoldo López in his embassy, ​​and after his incognito departure for Madrid. There were accusations of Maduro in the government of Pedro Sánchez.

Ambassador Brilhante Pedrosa left Venezuela this week after Maduro asked her to do so, declaring her “persona non grata”. This was in response to the community bloc’s sanctions against 19 Venezuelans.

In response to the expulsion of its ambassador, Brussels also declared the head of the mission of Venezuela to the EU, Claudia Salerno, persona non grata, who as ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg is not obliged to leave European territory.

The Contact Group stressed on Thursday that movements of this type can no longer happen again and the desire for dialogue and collaboration must be maintained between the “Venezuelan regime” and the international community.

They make up the contact group and who demonstrated against the decision of the Maduro government are Germany, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Panama , Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Sweden, the European Union and Uruguay. .

The complete declaration

The following members of the International Contact Group on Venezuela (ICG), Germany, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Panama, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Sweden, the European Union and Uruguay, reject the decision of the Venezuelan regime which declared the head of the delegation of the European Union persona non grata.

This decision is contrary to the dialogue and respect that should prevail in international relations and will only contribute to further international isolation of Venezuela.

The International Contact Group considers that the only way out of the Venezuelan crisis is through the resumption of political negotiations and the reestablishment of dialogue between the parties, and through the organization of credible and transparent elections, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of Venezuela. Venezuela.

We call for situations of this nature not to recur and for the spirit of dialogue and collaboration between the Venezuelan regime and the international community to be maintained.

JPE