French Ambassador Romain Nadal (left) and Venezuelan Leader of the Opposition Juan Guaido (right), January 5, 2020 in Caracas. - Matias Delacroix / AP / SIPA

The Venezuelan government announced on Monday that a written protest had been sent to the French ambassador in Caracas. Romain Nadal, who recently received opposition leader Juan Guaidó, is accused of interfering in the internal affairs of the country.

The ambassador "exercised an abusive use of the privileges granted to him by the Venezuelan state because of his status as a diplomat," said the press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Its recent action violates international conventions on customs and habits which regulate peaceful relations between nations. "

El embajador francés Romain Nadal recibió en el aeropuerto internacional a Juan Guaidó https://t.co/GzjE4PaE1P

- Últimas Noticias (@UNoticias) February 17, 2020

German diplomat expelled in 2019

The government considers that by receiving the Leader of the Opposition, recognized by France and sixty countries as Acting President, the diplomat participates in "a clear strategy of provocation, interference and interference in internal affairs ". This Friday, during a press conference, Nicolas Maduro had already accused Romain Nadal of "seriously" interfering in the affairs of the country.

President Nicolas Maduro today accused French Ambassador to Venezuela Romain Nadal of interfering in the country's internal affairs after the French representative welcomed the opponent Juan Guaido on his return to the airport International de Caracas #AFP pic.twitter.com/9crqEXBcCZ

- Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) February 14, 2020

The Chancellery is currently studying the ambassador's response without ruling out the possibility of an expulsion. In March 2019, German Ambassador Daniel Kriener was thus expelled from Venezuela and declared "persona non grata" for having greeted Juan Guaidó at Caracas airport. The German diplomat has since returned to his post.

Juan Guaidó, Leader of the Opposition and President of the National Assembly, has been recognized as interim president by almost 60 countries. He returned on Tuesday from a 23-day tour during which he notably met Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump.

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