Venezuela severs relations with Paraguay over support for opposition leader

BOGOTA, Colombia

Venezuela announced Monday that it was severing diplomatic relations with Paraguay after President Santiago Pena expressed his support for opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

The Venezuelan government also recalled its diplomatic personnel from Paraguay.

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has decided, in full exercise of its sovereignty, to break diplomatic relations with the Republic of Paraguay and proceed with the immediate withdrawal of its accredited diplomatic personnel in that country," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Pena expressed his support for Gonzalez Urrutia in a phone call, recognizing him as the winner of presidential elections in Venezuela held in July 2024.

The Paraguayan president also shared details of a meeting he had Sunday with leaders of the Venezuelan opposition.

"Today I had a conversation with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the winner of the presidential elections in Venezuela, and with Maria Corina Machado, a prominent leader of the opposition to the Nicolas Maduro regime. During our conversation, we analyzed the situation in Venezuela and agreed on the importance of channeling the democratic process in the country," Pena said.

Following the polls, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) said that Maduro won a third consecutive term with 51.2% of the vote against Gonzalez Urrutia’s 44.2%. The opposition claims to have won with 67% of the vote.

After Maduro’s contentious elections, the Venezuelan government had already withdrawn its diplomatic staff from seven Latin American countries -- Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

Before his meeting with Pena, Gonzalez Urrutia visited Argentina on Jan. 4, where he met with President Javier Milei. He was also in Uruguay, which reaffirmed its support for Gonzalez Urrutia as president of Venezuela.

Gonzalez Urrutia then traveled to the US, where he spoke with President Joe Biden.

"Today I hosted Venezuela’s President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez, a man whose campaign inspired millions and one who should be taking the oath of office in four days," Biden wrote on his X account.

The Venezuelan opposition leader plans to visit Panama and the Dominican Republic as part of a regional tour.