The “Lima Group” of Latin American nations plus Canada on Tuesday criticized the Venezuelan government’s decision to hold a presidential election on April 22 without reaching an agreement with an opposition coalition.
Brazilian President Michel Temer criticized the government of neighboring Venezuela for leading that country into a crisis that is causing an exodus of refugees into northern Brazil. Brasilia has called for democratic reforms by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has consolidated power as his country’s economic crisis deepens with shortages of food and medicine.
The British Ambassador to Venezuela, Andrew Soper, presented his Letter of Credentials to President Nicolás Maduro during a ceremony at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas.
Colombia and Brazil tightened border controls with Venezuela on Thursday as both nations grapple with a mounting influx of hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants fleeing a worsening economic crisis In a visit to the border region, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would impose stricter migratory controls, suspend new daily entry cards for Venezuelans and deploy 3,000 new security personnel along the frontier, including 2,120 more soldiers.
Venezuela's questioned electoral council has set April 22 as the date for a controversial presidential election, which was supposed to occur late 2018. The opposition accuses President Nicolas Maduro of using to plan a second term for himself.
In audio filtered to Univisión (1), the radio transmission among the Venezuelan police forces that participated on the morning of January 15 in the capture operation against a revolt pilot Óscar Pérez and six of his companions carried out outside of Caracas is revealed. In the revealed material, the commander of the operation, Major of the National Guard Rafael Bastardo confirms his surrender.
The U.N. children's agency UNICEF said it was seeing clear signs of a growing malnutrition crisis in Venezuela, but it lacked data to give precise information and to tackle the problem effectively.
On December 20 the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) - formed only by pro-government officials - decreed that political parties that did not participate for the last regional election a few months ago must be revalidated before the National Electoral Council (CNE), a rule that according to the the current constitution should be should be applied when absenting more than 3 times to the suffrages.
Argentina will not recognize the results of upcoming elections in Venezuela, President Mauricio Macri has said accusing strongman Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro of running a dictatorship.
Venezuela has expelled the Spanish ambassador to Caracas, Jesús Silva Fernández, accusing him of interfering in its internal affairs. Spain has rejected the allegations and said it would reciprocate.