Venezuelan government denies EU politicians entry into the country. They had arrived at the invitation of Guaidó. The Foreign Ministry accuses them of „conspiratorial goals.“
The conflict between Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and the opposition leader, as well as the self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaidó, continues to draw wider circles. The government of Venezuela has now refused five MEPs invited by Guaidó to enter the country. „We are deported from Venezuela,“ said Spanish MEP Esteban González Pons on Sunday at the airport in the capital Caracas. „They took our passports and they did not give us a reason for expulsion.“
González Pons stressed that he and the four other MEPs had an official invitation from the Venezuelan Parliament, whose president is Guaidó, the opposition leader. Together with González Pons, Spanish MEPs José Ignacio Salafranca and Gabriel Mato Adrover, Esther de Lange from the Netherlands and Portuguese Paulo Rangel wanted to enter. They all belong to the Group of the Christian-Democratic European People’s Party (EPP).
Guaidó criticized in the short message service Twitter, the MEPs have been expelled from an „isolated and increasingly irrational regime“.
MEPs were allegedly forewarned
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said on Twitter, the MEP had been informed days ago about „official diplomatic channels“ that they were prohibited entry. They would have wanted to visit the country with „conspiratorial targets“ and should abstain from further „provocations“.
Venezuela – Juan Guaidó wants to open borders for relief goods Opposition leader Guaidó has promised his supporters to bring US aid to the country on 23 February. President Maduro is blocking this so far. © Photo: Reuters TV
The European Parliament recognized Guaidó as interim president at the end of January. In the power struggle between the opposition leader and the controversial head of state Maduro have now recognized around 50 states Guaidó as interim president.
