For the second time in less than a year, the European Union ambassador in Caracas has to pack her bags. Isabel Brilhante was in fact declared, on Wednesday February 24, persona non grata by the government of Nicolas Maduro, who gave her seventy-two hours to leave Venezuelan territory. The Caracas decision follows the adoption by Brussels of a new series of sanctions against members of the Maduro government or those close to it, “For their role in acts and decisions undermining democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela”.
The European Union asked Caracas to reconsider the expulsion of its ambassador, of Portuguese nationality. “The only consequence of this decision will be to isolate the country on the international scene, underlined the spokesperson of the European External Action Service, Nabila Massrali. “The European Union is welcome in Venezuela if it respects our democratic institutions”, President Maduro said Wednesday evening, during a televised address, before throwing to Europeans: “Either you rectify or there will be no more agreement of any kind with you, no dialogue.” “
“It is not excluded that the government will backtrack, as it was eight months ago”, considers Hiram Gaviria, a former diplomat now in opposition. On June 29, the Head of State first announced the expulsion of Mr.me Brilhante, before reversing his decision three days later. On this occasion, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, and the Venezuelan minister of foreign relations, Jorge Arreaza, jointly insisted on “The need to maintain the framework of diplomatic relations, at a time when cooperation between the two parties can facilitate political dialogue”.
Support from Juan Guaido
This time, it was at the request of Parliament that the Head of State acted. On Monday, in fact, the National Assembly – the very one that the EU considers illegitimate – called on President Maduro to expel Mr.me Brilhante and “Revise the operating agreement” of the European diplomatic mission in Venezuela. Former President of the Assembly, Juan Guaido, expressed his solidarity with the European Ambassador “Which has always shown its support for human rights and democracy”.
M. Arreaza handed ” in person “ to the ambassador his letter of expulsion. “We do it because the circumstances demand it”, he explained on television, recalling that the restrictive measures of the EU target a total of fifty-five senior officials and Venezuelan officials. “The European Union and the United States talk about ‘sanctions” as if they had the moral or legal authority to inflict any punishment on citizens of other countries. They don’t have it ”, Mr. Arreaza added.
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