The Venezuelan government announced on Monday the severance of diplomatic relations with Paraguay. The decision was made after the Paraguayan president, Santiago Peña, expressed support for the far-right Venezuelan opposition leader, Edmundo González Urrutia.
Peña affirmed his support for González’s electoral victory in the 2024 elections, despite not presenting any evidence. The Paraguayan leader also called for regional unity to respect the will of the people and prevent authoritarian regimes from persisting.
The conversation between Santiago Peña and the Venezuelan opposition was held via video conference on Monday. The Venezuelan government responded to Peña’s statement by announcing the severance of relations and the withdrawal of Paraguay’s diplomatic corps.
Caracas accused the Paraguayan government of ignoring international law and the principle of non-intervention, comparing the situation to the formation of the Lima Group. The bloc was created in 2017 to take actions against the Venezuelan government in the Organization of American States.