Venezuela: Maduro gives EU ambassador 72 hours to leave the country

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In response to the sanctions adopted on Monday 29 June by the European Union against eleven Venezuelan officials, President Nicolas Maduro gave three days to the head of the European Union delegation in Caracas to leave Venezuela.

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“  Who are they to try to impose themselves by threat? Who are they ? That's enough ! That is why I decided to give the European Union ambassador 72 hours to leave our country.  This is how the Venezuelan President announced the expulsion of the EU representative, Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa.

"  We will provide her with a plane to go, but we are going to put our affairs in order with the European Union,  " continued Nicolas Maduro . Venezuela has suspended commercial flights due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Presidente @NicolasMaduro the da 72 hours at the jefa of the delegation of the Unión Europea in Venezuela para que abandone el país: "¡Ya basta de colonialismo contra Venezuela!". Pic.twitter.com/MAJrlYjndX

Eleven Venezuelan officials sanctioned by the EU

This expulsion comes in reaction to a decision by the European Union. This Monday, Brussels sanctioned eleven Venezuelan officials involved in actions against the opposition to the government of Nicolas Maduro, including Luis Parra who tried to replace Juan Guaido in May as President of the Parliament.

Juan Guaido is recognized as interim president of Venezuela by around fifty countries. The opposition leader was originally allied with Luis Parra, until the latter was involved in a corruption scandal linked to a food distribution program led by Nicolas Maduro.

Europe "  kneels  " before Trump, says Maduro

"  The alleged election of Luis Parra was not legitimate because it did not respect legal procedures and democratic constitutional principles  ," said the European Union. Since 2017, relations with Venezuela have deteriorated. In that year, the country led by Nicolas Maduro became the first Latin American state to be subject to EU sanctions .

This Monday, the Venezuelan president also accused Europeans of "  kneeling  " in front of Donald Trump, and of copying the "  incoherent policy  " of the United States against his country.

► Read also: Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro sued by the United States for drug trafficking

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• Venezuela
• European Union
• Nicolas Maduro

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