Venezuela expels top US envoys
President denounces ‘political and financial lynching’
Venezuela ordered the expulsion of the top two US diplomats in the country Tuesday, charging it was the victim of a “political and financial lynching” after Washington tightened sanctions over Nicolas Maduro’s re-election.
The president declared the US charge d’affaires Todd Robinson and deputy head of mission Brian Naranjo as “personae non gratae.”
The announcement was made during his televised speech after being proclaimed the winner of Sunday’s presidential election.
“They must leave the country in 48 hours, in protest and in defense of the dignity of the Venezuelan nation. Enough conspiracies,” Maduro said.
He also instructed Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to ensure the two diplomats will leave as ordered. Despite the move, Maduro reiterated that he wanted the “best relations with the US... although this seems to be impossible.”
The Venezuelan leader decided to expel the two diplomats after US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order prohibiting certain additional transactions with Venezuela.
The order targeted the Maduro government by banning all transactions by US persons or companies which would acquire any debt from the Venezuelan government.
The order also bans the sale, transfer or acceptance as guarantee of any collateral in Venezuela, in which the Venezuelan government or a public entity holds over 50 percent of shares.
The US immediately threatened to retaliate.
A State Department official told AFP that Washington had “not received notification from the Venezuelan government through diplomatic channels,” but that if the expulsions are confirmed, “the US may take appropriate reciprocal action.”
In anticipation that Venezuela’s charge d’affaires in Washington, Carlos Ron, would be expulsed, he was appointed vice minister of foreign affairs for North America.
Robinson denied the allegations. “We strongly reject the accusations against me and against” Naranjo, he told journalists in the western city of Merida, promising to return there even despite Maduro expulsing him.