During an interview televised in Spain on Sunday, the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, described Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's regime as dictatorial, inciting more outrage in Caracas.
The comments from Borrell come at a time of heightened tensions between Venezuela and several European nations. The diplomatic row has been brewing for weeks, with both sides exchanging increasingly heated rhetoric. Borrell's remarks are seen as the most direct and forceful condemnation of the Maduro government by a high-ranking EU official to date, potentially signaling a shift in the bloc's approach to the Venezuelan crisis.
Venezuela withdrew its ambassador to Madrid for consultations on Thursday and summoned Spain's envoy to Caracas after Spanish defense minister Margarita Robles referred to Maduro's administration as a dictatorship and praised Venezuelans forced to flee their country due to the government's actions.
When asked about the row during an interview with private Spanish television channel Telecinco, Borrell stated that more than 2,000 individuals have been unlawfully imprisoned since the Latin American country's disputed July 28 presidential election, which the opposition accuses Maduro of stealing.
The disputed election has become a focal point of international concern, with numerous countries and organizations questioning its legitimacy. Independent observers have reported widespread irregularities, including voter intimidation, ballot box stuffing, and the exclusion of opposition candidates. These allegations have further eroded confidence in Venezuela's electoral process and deepened the country's political crisis.
Political parties in Venezuela face several restrictions on their activities, and the opposition's presidential candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, has had to flee to Spain, he said.
What would you label all of this? Of course, this is a tyrannical, authoritarian, and dictatorial government. But simply saying so does not fix anything. "What we need to do is try to solve it," said Borrell, a former Spanish foreign minister.
Sometimes resolving issues necessitates some rhetorical constraint, but let us not delude ourselves about the nature of things. Venezuela held elections, but it was not a democracy before, and it is even less so now.
Venezuelan foreign minister Yvan Gil responded on Telegram, calling Borrell a mouthpiece for evil and accusing him of turning the EU into an outmoded, colonialist, and warmongering institution.
The harsh response from Gil highlights the growing divide between Venezuela and the international community. Maduro's government has consistently rejected criticism of its policies, labeling foreign interventions as attempts to undermine Venezuela's sovereignty. This stance has led to increased isolation for the country, exacerbating its economic and humanitarian crises.
Maduro, who succeeded renowned left-wing leader Hugo Chavez after his death in 2013, maintains he won a third term but has yet to reveal comprehensive voting tallies to back up his claims.
The opposition revealed polling station-level results, claiming Gonzalez Urrutia won by a landslide.
Maduro's claim to victory provoked widespread opposition protests, which killed at least 27 people and injured 192 more. Approximately 2,400 individuals, including many youths, were arrested during the incident.
The violent crackdown on protesters has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations worldwide. Reports of arbitrary detentions, torture, and excessive use of force by security forces have emerged, raising concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Venezuela. The United Nations Human Rights Council has called for an immediate end to the violence and for the release of all those arbitrarily detained.
France encouraged its people on Sunday to postpone any trips to Venezuela unless absolutely necessary owing to rising tensions.
The travel advisory issued by France is just one of many similar warnings from other countries, reflecting the growing international concern over the situation in Venezuela. The economic collapse, political instability, and rising crime rates have made the country increasingly dangerous for foreign visitors. This development is likely to further impact Venezuela's already struggling tourism industry and contribute to its economic isolation.
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