On January 27, the spokesman for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Christofer Burger, announced that the German Government accepted the recommendation of the Council of State of the European Union (EU) and withdrew recognition of “interim president” that had been granted to former Venezuelan deputy, Juan Guaidó.
When asked about the reason for this change in German foreign policy towards Venezuela, Burger argued that “the situation has evolved.”
This news was celebrated by the member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the German deputy Andrej Hunko, who revealed that “the Federal Government had urged that the recognition be maintained, which was contrary to international law, but fortunately it failed.”
“Hopefully the EU will learn from the mistakes of the last two years,” said the European parliamentarian through his Twitter account. “Instead of escalation, it has to mediate #Venezuela and direct all energy towards a political solution. This must also include ending the #sanctions, which are politically ineffective and socially devastating.”
Endlich! Die EU betrachtet Guaidó nicht mehr als "Interimspräsident" Venezuelas. Die Bundesregierung hatte auf Beibehaltung der völkerrechtswidrigen Anerkennung gedrängt, ist aber zum Glück gescheitert. Eine Mehrheit des EP hängt weiter diesem Mythos an.https://t.co/LMIeCg5qZ4
— Andrej Hunko (@AndrejHunko) January 25, 2021
For her part, vice president of the parliamentary group of The Left party, Heike Hänsel, had written through her Twitter account that the German government should, instead of continuing to support Guaidó, realign its policy towards Venezuela—referring to the EU statement of January 25 when it declared that Juan Guaidó would no longer be recognized as “interim president.” The EU decision stated that, according to European foreign ministers the representatives of the opposition parties elected to the 2015 National Assembly—especially Juan Guaidó, but also the other representatives of the democratic opposition—would be considered only as “important actors and privileged interlocutors.”
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“This is a slap in the face for German foreign policy, which had once again pushed forward within the #EU and wanted to cling to #Guaido, beyond international law,” wrote Hänsel. “The Federal Government has to realign its #Venezuela policy instead of continuing to implement the US policy of regime change!”
Das ist eine Klatsche für die dt. Außenpolitik, die innerhalb der #EU wieder vorgeprescht war und an #Guaido festhalten wollte, jenseits des Völkerrechts. BuReg muss ihre #Venezuela Politik neu ausrichten statt weiterhin US-RegimeChange-Politik umzusetzen! https://t.co/ELH57BRErZ
— Heike Hänsel (@HeikeHaensel) January 25, 2021
RT Germany editor Florian Warweg, who had rebuked the spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry, Christofer Burger, celebrated Germany’s return to respect for international law. Also on January 25, Warweg had published on his Twitter account the statement sent by the Council of State of the European Union, in which they halted recognition of Guaidó as “interim president.”
Was hat sich @AuswaertigesAmt die letzten Wochen gesträubt & verbale Nebelkerzen geworfen. Doch heute wurde die Katze dann doch aus dem #BPK-Sack gelassen: 🇩🇪 folgt dem Rat der EU & erkennt #Guaido nicht mehr "Interimspräsidenten" an. Back to Völkerrecht! #FELICITACIONES pic.twitter.com/ODa3fWqhcZ
— F.W. (@FWarweg) January 27, 2021
Ich habe aus mehreren Quellen in Brüssel erfahren, mit welcher Vehemenz (und auch Arroganz) sich in der letzten Woche @AuswaertigesAmt in den Gesprächen auf EU-Ebene dafür eingesetzt hatte, die bereits zuvor völkerrechtswidrige Anerkennung von #Guaido beizubehalten. Por suerte…
— F.W. (@FWarweg) January 25, 2021
Featured image: Former deputy Guaidó on his way out. File photo.
(Nodal)
Translation: OT/JRE/SL
