The government of Nicolas Maduro rejected the actions of opposition legislator and who declared himself an “interim president” late last month, Juan Guaido’s appointee in Costa Rica forcibly entering the Venezuelan embassy in Costa Rica.
“The thieves of a group of strangers entered the headquarters of the Embassy of Venezuela in Costa Rica,” denounced Venezuela Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza in a tweet Wednesday morning. “The government of that country must enforce the diplomatic relations convention and ensure the functioning and safety of our staff and facilities.”
Arreaza wrote on Twitter, “The government of Costa Roca is obliged to follow the [Vienna] Convention on Diplomatic Relations and guarantee the normal operations and security of our personnel and facilities.”
The group, lead by Maria Faria, appointed ambassador to Costa Rica by Guaido and recognized by the government of Carlos Alvarado, took the embassy Wednesday morning without any confrontation of violence.
The Costa Rica government, earlier this month, had given the Maduro people in Costa Rica 60 days to leave the country.
Reports in Venezuela or media supporting Maduro, such as Telesesur TV, say there was a standoff at the embassy’s entrance between the diplomatic staff and the trespassers, who prevented the head of the diplomatic delegation from entering the embassy’s building.
For its part, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry slammed the actions of Faria, saying in a statement: “The Foreign Ministry regrets the unacceptable intrusion in the Venezuelan embassy building in Costa Rica by the diplomatic personnel of the government of interim president Juan Guaido. In this connection, we are expressing an active protest against the actions of diplomatic representative Maria Faria, who did not follow the 60-day period given by Costa Rica to officials of the government of Nicolas Maduro to leave the country.”
Supporters of Faria posted on the social networks that she and her group had the right to enter the embassy in San Jose, as it is the property of the government of Venezuela and Guaido is the legitimate president recognized by Costa Rica.
Comments, however, also were against Faria’s handling of the situation, that it could have been handled in a more diplomatic manner.
Following a meeting at Casa Amarilla (the Foreign Ministry) on Thursday, Faria agreed to end the takeover and hand over the keys to the embassy back to Maduro’s people.
Ventura said that Faría told him she was sorry and apologized to Costa Rican authorities for her actions.
Guaido proclaimed himself interim president in January. Costa Rica was among the states that supported him and refused to recognize the new presidential term of President Nicolas Maduro.
After Guaido’s self-proclamation, Faria presented her credentials to Costa Rica’s President Carlos Alvarado. Meanwhile, Maduro’s diplomatic representatives were ordered out of the country.
Notably, Venezuelan Ambassador Jesus Javier Arias Fuenmayor, appointed to Costa Rica by Maduro back in 2014, has for long been recalled from the country due to deteriorated relations between San Jose and Caracas.
