Venezuela Expels German Ambassador

The Venezuelan government gave German Ambassador Daniel Kriener 48 hours to leave the country on Wednesday, March 6, after he expressed support for opposition leader Juan Guaidó. Jorge Arreaza, Venezuela's Foreign Minister, stated in a tweet that Kriener had interfered in the country's internal affairs and supported the 'extremist' faction of the opposition. The statement read: 'From Venezuela's perspective, the public stance of a diplomat as a political leader is unacceptable.' Kriener and several other foreign ambassadors and diplomats welcomed Guaidó at the airport upon his return to Caracas on Monday. Guaidó stated that protests to oust Nicolás Maduro's government would intensify following his return. The German ambassador expressed hope in a media interview that the President of the National Assembly (parliament) of Venezuela could safely enter the country. Before Guaidó's return, there were concerns about the possibility of his arrest, but the government ultimately took no action against him. The German Foreign Ministry stated it was considering its response to the expulsion and consulting with its allies on the matter. The Maduro government severed diplomatic relations with the U.S. due to Washington's recognition of Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate leader, giving American diplomats three days to leave the country. However, the U.S. government, which no longer recognizes Maduro's administration, did not comply with this order. The U.S., several European Union countries including Germany, and about 50 other nations have called for Maduro to resign to pave the way for new elections. In response, Maduro claims that all these actions are part of a U.S. conspiracy to stage a coup against him.