VENEZUELA EXPELS US ENVOYS AS EUROPE EYES SANCTIONS OVER POLLS
CARACAS— Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday ordered the expulsion of two top US diplomats in Caracas in retaliation for new sanctions over Venezuela’s widely condemned election.
Maduro won reelection but the European Union said in Brussels that it would consider its response to elections that did not meet minimum standards for a credible election.
Riddled with irregularities
“Presidential and regional polls went ahead without a national agreement on an electoral calendar and without complying with the minimum international standards for a credible process,” the European Union said in a statement.
“The EU and its member states will consider the adoption of adequate measures,” the bloc said without giving details but referring to its April decision to impose sanctions on some top Venezuelan officials.
Maduro, the 55-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez, won reelection easily, but critics said the vote was riddled with irregularities, aside from having a turnout of 46.1%, the lowest turnout the country has seen in decades.
US President Donald Trump responded on Monday with an executive order limiting Venezuela’s ability to sell state assets.
‘False allegations’
Accusing US Chargé d’Affaires Todd Robinson of being involved in “a military conspiracy,” Maduro ordered him and another senior diplomat, Brian Naranjo, to leave within 48 hours.
He gave no details of the accusations, but said the US Embassy had been meddling in military, economic and political issues, and vowed to present evidence shortly.
The US state department rejected Maduro’s “false allegations” against the two diplomats, spokesperson Heather Nauert said at a news briefing in Washington.—