The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela, through a communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected the statements of the government of Colombian President Ivan Duque, in which he diverts responsibility for the state of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two nations.
In the text, the Venezuelan government clarifies that the expulsion of Consul General Juan Carlos Pérez Villamizar was reciprocated by the similar measure to the Venezuelan official Carlos Manuel Pino García, and adds that the Colombian official was illegally practicing in the country because he did not received the required exequatur, in accordance with the Vienna Convention.
Following, the full text:
“The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, rejects, for being cynical, the statement issued by the government of Ivan Duque, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia on Friday, December 21, 2018, through which it intends to divert its responsibility in the present lamentable state of bilateral diplomatic relations.
In the first place, the Colombian authorities are well aware that the expulsion of the designated General Consul Juan Carlos Pérez Villamizar was reciprocated by the arbitrary measure of kidnapping and expulsion against the Venezuelan official Carlos Manuel Pino García. Also, without having received the Exequatur required by the Vienna Convention by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, the aforementioned official was performing functions illegally in our country.
Secondly, it is not strange that Colombia insists on its usual policy of demanding guarantees that it does not grant, since by action or omission they have hindered the normal functioning of our embassy and the nine Consulates of Venezuela in that country for more than a year. Indeed, our Diplomatic and Consular Missions have been subjected to a brutal economic-financial blockade by Colombian banks, in contravention of the Vienna Convention, which has been repeatedly protested before the Foreign Ministry of Colombia, through communications : 000996 of 12/18/2017, 000116 of 01/20/2018, 001723 of 05/10/2018, 0000948 of 05/24/2018, 001615 of 03/08/2018, 0001763 of 08/15/2018 and 0002797 of 08/11/2018, without us having received an effective response up to date.
Meanwhile this anti-diplomatic situation is prolonged, our diplomats and our missions can not comply with their suppliers or tenants the responsibilities acquired and mandatory compliance, seriously affecting their tranquility for the proper exercise of their work aimed at providing assistance to Venezuelans residing in the neighboring country.
Thirdly, it is laughable that the government of Iván Duque speaks of defenselessness of its officials when our missions have been subjected to pressure from the Colombian Police, as we denounced in note 002926 of 11/30/2018.
Fourth, it has been the refusal of the Colombian government to establish high-level contacts with the Venezuelan authorities, the evidence of an anti-diplomatic and irresponsible policy that points to inconvenient bilateral scenarios for the region and for our peoples. Chancellor Jorge Arreaza himself has sent four (04) personal communications to the Foreign Minister of Colombia, namely 001347 of 10/19/2018, 001055 of 03/09/2018, 07/11/2018, and 001477 of 12/11/2018 , without any response up to date.
The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela promotes and defends Human Rights and is absolutely respectful of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, that is why its authorities do not refuse, nor will they refuse to be civilized with the other States, respecting the differences of criteria, but with the firm determination to protect the Venezuelan people from any aggression.
Caracas, December 21, 2018″
