Venezuela Protests 2014: Maduro Asks for Ambassadors, Washington Boots Diplomats, Carter Offers Mediation
- Staff Writer
- Feb 26, 2014 05:36 PM EST
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In the latest turn in the war of words surrounding the political and social upheaval in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro is proposing a return to diplomatic relations with the United States and has announced that he will be appointing a new ambassador to the U.S.
The United States and Venezuela have not shared ambassadors since 2008.
"U.S. society needs to know the truth about Venezuela," Maduro said Monday, according to NBC. "They think we're killing each other. They think we can't go out to the corner. They're asking for U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. What madness! Should that happen, you and I will be out with a gun defending our territory.''
The move is ironic considering Maduro's administration recently deported three U.S. diplomats from the country, a move that has since been reciprocated by the White House. On Tuesday the State Department told three Venezuelan diplomats that they had 48 hours to leave the United States. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki made the announcement to reporters in a Tuesday briefing.
"They have been allowed 48 hours to leave the United States," she said. "As you know, the [Vienna] convention permits the United States to declare any member of a diplomatic mission persona non grata at any time and without the necessity to state a reason."
One American who is planning to make a trip to meet with the Venezuelan president is former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Carter has experience in the country and has been an observer during elections held in the South American country.
Carter has reached out to both sides in the conflict to urge them to reject violence.
"It is difficult for elected officials from opposition parties to resolve differences when they feel threatened and persecuted," Carter wrote, according to the AP.
According to the AP, while Carter is accepted, and was praised by Maduro in a recent speech, he has been criticized by opposition leaders for certifying the legitimacy of a past election when there were numerous allegations that the process had been unfair.
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