Chancellor Jorge Arreaza reminded the High Representative for the European Union (EU), Federica Mogherini, that the declaration of non grata person made by the Venezuelan Government to the German ambassador in Caracas, Daniel Kriener, is in compliance with the Vienna Convention.
“Mrs. Federica Mogherini: the former Ambassador of Germany in Venezuela has been declared persona non grata in strict adherence to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, everything indicates that his erratic legal advisory service merits some adjustments,” Arreaza wrote in the social network Twitter.
Señora @FedericaMog: el ex Embajador de Alemania en Venezuela ha sido declarado persona non grata en estricto apego al artículo 9 de la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas. Todo indica que su errático servicio de asesoría jurídica amerita algunos ajustes. https://t.co/CvegA5LFy0
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) March 7, 2019
The EU representative condemned the decision of President Nicolás Maduro’s government to expel the German ambassador, and considered that the measure “torpedoes” diplomatic work.
The Venezuelan government announced on March 6 its decision to declare persona non grata the ambassador of Germany, accused of interfering in internal affairs.
In addition, the Venezuelan government gave the German ambassador 48 hours to leave the country.
Kriener was one of the ambassadors of the European countries that received the deputy Juan Guaidó, self-proclaimed “president in charge” of Venezuela, when he arrived on March 4 at Simón Bolívar international airport, in Vargas state (north), after touring by South American nations.
Germany is among the countries that have recognized Guaidó as “president in charge” of Venezuela.
Guaidó had been elected on January 5, president of the National Assembly (unicameral parliament), in contempt since 2016, a designation that was annulled by the Supreme Court of Justice on January 21.
President Maduro, who assumed his second term on January 10 after elections that the opposition boycotted, called Guaidó’s declaration a coup attempt and blamed the United States for having orchestrated it.
Guaidó was immediately recognized by Colombia and the United States, to which some 50 countries joined, while Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia, India, Sourh Africa, Iran and Turkey, among others, maintain support for the Maduro Government.
Mexico and Uruguay, for their part, refuse to recognize Guaidó, declare themselves neutral and propose a dialogue between the parties to overcome the crisis.
Translated by JRE/EF
