Chancellor Jorge Arreaza reported that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the External Action Service of the European Union (EU) signed a joint statement to maintain the framework of diplomatic relations, cooperation and political dialogue.
Consequently, the Venezuelan Government decided to invalidate the decision made on June 29, 2020, in which was declared as persona non grata and was ordered the expulsion of Ambassador Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa, head of the European Union delegation in Caracas.
In an interview with Telesur, the chancellor indicated that in a telephone conversation with Joseph Borrell, foreign minister for the EU, he stated that such sanctions have no legal basis in international law:
«The line of the Bolivarian Revolution, that of dialogue, was imposed. There is a commitment to raise permanent and constant communications to the highest level (…) in order to have real-time communication and avoid misrepresentations”, while promoting cooperation between the EU and Venezuela, pointed out the chancellor.
This diplomatic step is taken after last Monday the EU sanctioned the board of directors of the National Assembly; the Comptroller General of the Republic and President of the Republican Moral Council, Elvis Amoroso, and leaders Jorge Márquez, Juan José Mendoza, José Adelino Ornelas, Tania Díaz and Gladys Requena, as well as prosecutors Farik Mora and Dinorah Bustamante.
The chancellor indicated that in the conversation, he asked Borrell to suspend said sanctions: “Venezuela hopes that there will be some kind of gesture that will improve the relations”, he said.
In this regard, Arreaza pointed out that this suspension of sanctions does not depend exclusively on Borrell, since it depends on the decisions taken jointly by the EU council of ministers that brings together 27 countries.
Here is the full text of the communiqué:
“The Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Relations of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Foreign Action Service of the European Union inform the international community that, today, the Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Relations of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, held a telephone conversation in which was agreed on the need to maintain the framework of diplomatic relations, especially at times when cooperation between both parties can facilitate the paths of political dialogue.
Consequently, the Venezuelan Government decided to invalidate the decision made on June 29, 2020, in which Ambassador Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa, head of the European Union delegation in Caracas, was declared as persona non grata.
Both agreed to promote diplomatic contacts between the parties at the highest level, in the framework of sincere cooperation and respect for international law”.
Caracas and Brussels, July 1, 2020
