Escalations Expected as Venezuela Cuts Diplomatic Relations with US

By: Yassmine ElSayed

CAIRO, Jan. 25 (SEE) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that he was breaking diplomatic relations with the United States, after the Washington recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the South American country’s interim president, escalations expected.

Speaking to supporters outside the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, socialist leader Maduro said he would give U.S. diplomatic personnel 72 hours to leave Venezuela, which is suffering from a hyperinflationary economic collapse.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president, winning over the backing of the Washington and many Latin American nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump formally recognized Guaido shortly after his announcement, and praised his plan to hold elections. That was swiftly followed by similar statements from Canada and a slew of right-leaning Latin American governments, including Venezuela's neighbors Brazil and Colombia.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it would not remove American diplomats because it did not recognize the Maduro regime as the government of Venezuela. "The United States does not consider former president Nicolas Maduro to have the legal authority to break diplomatic relations with the United States or to declare our diplomats persona non grata."

Venezuela’s top military brass pledged their unwavering support for embattled President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday, delivering vows of loyalty before rows of green-uniformed officers on state television.

A half-dozen generals belonging largely to district commands and with direct control over thousands of troops joined Maduro in accusing the United States of meddling in Venezuela’s affairs and said they would uphold the socialist leader’s rule.

In a further blow to the opposition, Russia warned the United States against meddling in Venezuela. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia telephoned Mr. Maduro and “emphasized that destructive external interference is a gross violation of the fundamental norms of international law,” according to a statement on the Kremlin’s official website.

The United States called for a UN Security Council meeting on the crisis in Venezuela yesterday after it recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the acting president.

The US mission to the United Nations said it requested that the council meet in open session at 9 am tomorrow . US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to attend, diplomats said.

Pompeo earlier warned Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, not to use force against demonstrators and called for stronger international support for the self-declared acting president.

The United States has won support for the move from about a dozen Latin American countries including Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. France and Britain, which are among the five permanent council members, have also questioned Maduro's legitimacy.

The United Nations human rights boss Michelle Bachelet called for an independent investigation into alleged excessive use of force by Venezuelan security forces, citing reports of 20 people killed and more than 350 detained in protests this week.