The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Wednesday his intention to nominate James Broward Story as ambassador of the North American country to Venezuela.
Specifically, Story, originally from South Carolina and currently serving as interim charge d’affaires in the Venezuelan Affairs Unit – based at the United States Embassy in Colombia -, would be named “extraordinary ambassador and plenipotentiary, “according to a statement released by the White House. Story has already held various positions at U.S. embassies and consulates in Brazil, Mozambique, and Mexico.
Currently, the United States does not have an ambassador to Venezuela, but it does have a special envoy, Elliott Abrams. Relations between the two countries are tense and the US Executive has recognized and shown its support for the self-proclaimed Venezuelan “president in charge”, Juan Guaidó, on multiple occasions.
Trump’s announcement comes after the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has denounced that “a group of mercenaries and terrorists” tried to enter the Caribbean nation along the coasts of La Guaira, meeting with the opposition of the Venezuelan troops. At least eight died and thirteen have been detained, including two Americans.
Maduro’s administration has linked Washington to the incident, an allegedly failed plan to topple the government. US authorities, such as Trump, have denied their involvement and are trying to clarify the detention of US citizens.
