The Government of Donald Trump ordered the expulsion of two Venezuelan diplomats today, giving them 48 hours to leave the country.
He is the charge of business of Venezuela in Washington, Carlos Ron RamÃrez, and the Venezuelan vice-consul in Houston (Texas).
The decision responds, according to the Department of State, reciprocally to the order of this Tuesday of Venezuela to expel the charge d’affaires of the USA. in Caracas, Todd Robinson, and his second, Brian Naranjo, head of the political section of the embassy.
Both Ron RamÃrez and Robinson were the highest-ranking representatives of the two countries in their respective diplomatic missions since Washington and Caracas have not exchanged ambassadors for eight years.
On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the expulsion of diplomats during an act in which he was proclaimed re-elected, and said Robinson has acted as “conspirator” in the Caribbean country.
The State Department, in its statement today, said that “the accusations behind the decision of the Maduro regime are unjustified.”
He also assured that the diplomats expelled by Caracas “have carried out their official duties in a responsible manner” and in accordance with the international standards subscribed in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
“We reject any suggestion in the opposite direction,” he said.
The Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, had already warned the Government of Nicolás Maduro today of a “reciprocal” response to the expulsion of the two diplomats.
Therefore, ahead of the expected expulsion of Ron RamÃrez, Maduro appointed him Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for North America and vacated, for now, the position of charge of business in Washington. EFE
