Venezuela expels German ambassador for ‘interference’ in internal affairs

Source: France 24

March 6, 2019 at 14:46

FEDERICO PARRA / AFP German ambassador to Venezuela Daniel Kriener after attending a meeting with Venezuela's opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido, at the National Assembly in Caracas, On February 19, 2019.

Venezuela's government expelled the German ambassador on Wednesday, while press advocacy groups said an American journalist had been detained, as embattled President Nicolas Maduro cracks down on a challenge to his rule.

Ambassador Daniel Kriener was expelled two days after he and diplomats from other embassies welcomed home opposition leader Juan Guaido at the Caracas airport. The government declared Kriener persona non grata and gave him 48 hours to leave the country, accusing him of meddling in internal affairs, although it did not give specific details.

"Venezuela considers it unacceptable that a foreign diplomat carries out in its territory a public role closer to that of a political leader aligned with the conspiratorial agenda of extremist sectors of the Venezuelan opposition," the government said in a statement.

A German foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed Venezuela had expelled the ambassador and that the ministry was consulting with its allies on how to respond.

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