Venezuelan Parliament Urges Maduro to Cut Ties with Spain

Venezuela’s National Assembly, dominated by the ruling party, has taken a bold step against Spain. The legislative body approved a request for President Nicolás Maduro to sever diplomatic, consular, and commercial ties with the European nation.

This marks the second such motion in less than a month, highlighting escalating tensions between the two countries. The deteriorating relationship stems from Venezuela’s recent presidential elections.

Most international bodies, including the United Nations, have questioned the results of the July 28 vote. The electoral authority declared Maduro the winner without providing detailed records.

This led many to believe that opposition candidate Edmundo González actually won. Venezuela’s parliament accuses Spain of harboring individuals they consider criminals.

These include opposition figures and disillusioned chavistas who sought refuge in Europe to escape political persecution. While the parliament’s call is not binding, it reflects serious consideration within the government.

Jorge Rodríguez, President of the National Assembly and Maduro’s right-hand man, delivered a fiery speech criticizing Spain.

He particularly took issue with Spain’s reception of Edmundo González, who was forced into exile by the chavista government. González has been widely treated as the winning candidate and president-elect in Spain.

Rodríguez also targeted Josep Borrell, the European Union‘s foreign policy chief. Borrell had expressed doubts about the transparency of Venezuela’s election results.

Venezuela’s Tensions with Spain

The Venezuelan official responded harshly, telling Borrell and Spain to stay out of Venezuela’s affairs. In a theatrical move, Rodríguez proposed a motion to request Spain abolish its monarchy.

He criticized the Bourbon dynasty, claiming it only served corruption and right-wing expression. The entire assembly raised their hands in mock approval of this proposal.

The Chavista leader also revived claims about Spanish secret services operating in Venezuela. He referenced two detained Spanish citizens, alleging their phones contained photos of assassination targets.

However, the detainees’ families and the Spanish government deny any connection to intelligence services. Historically, Spain has been a key diplomatic priority for Venezuela, even under Chavista rule.

Despite several crises during the Bolivarian revolution, neither country has dared to completely sever ties. This is due to strong cultural and migratory links between the two nations.

Analysts generally believe Venezuela is unlikely to take drastic action against Spain. Such a move would likely harm Venezuela more than Madrid.

However, some speculate that the Chavista government may be genuinely fed up with international criticism and considering tougher electoral laws and closer ties with less democratic allies.