Venezuela asks 7 LatAm countries to withdraw diplomatic staff

CARACAS, Venezuela

Venezuela on Monday called on the governments of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay to withdraw their diplomatic staff accredited in the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during his proclamation at the CNE headquarters in Caracas on July 29, 2024

The measure, announced in an official statement released by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, also calls for withdrawing Venezuelan diplomatic staff accredited in those nations.

Venezuela has accused the governments of those seven countries of "interference" in its internal affairs, especially the presidential elections held Sunday that saw President Nicolas Maduro reelected to a third six-year term.

Those countries are "subordinated to Washington and committed to ... ideological postulates of international fascism," according to the statement.

Venezuela's National Electoral Council on Monday declared Maduro the winner of Sunday's presidential elections.