BRUSSELS, Feb 26, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The European Union declared Venezuela’s
ambassador to the bloc “persona non grata” on Thursday in a tit-for-tat move
after Caracas expelled its own envoy.
A statement said member states had agreed on the move, proposed by EU
foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after Venezuela ordered the European
ambassador to leave.
“This is a response to the decision by the Venezuelan government to declare
the head of the EU delegation to Venezuela as persona non grata,” it said.
“The EU considers this declaration as wholly unwarranted and contrary to
the EU’s objective of developing relations and building partnerships in third
countries.”
Claudia Salerno, Venezuela’s representative to the EU, responded by saying
on Twitter that “the independence and sovereignty of our homeland are not
negotiable.”
On Wednesday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza announced the move
against EU ambassador Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa, and gave her 72 hours to
leave the country.
This came two days after EU foreign ministers agreed to sanction 19
Venezuelan officials for “undermining democracy”.
The EU expanded its sanctions list after rejecting a December legislative
election that saw Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro win control of parliament
after an opposition boycott.
Until the disputed vote, the National Assembly was run by an opposition
majority with Juan Guaido at the helm as speaker — the only branch of
government not under Maduro’s control.
Guaido is considered Venezuela’s legitimate head of state by some 50
foreign governments, while Maduro is subject to Western sanctions and
labelled a dictator over alleged voter fraud and other abuses.