Venezuela furious at Spain 'dictatorship' comment

After days of mounting bilateral tensions, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil has summoned Spain’s ambassador in Caracas in order to protest at a minister’s description of his country’s government as a “dictatorship”.

Gil described as “insolent, meddling and rude” comments made by Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles.

While discussing various repressive regimes around the world, Robles spoke of the “men and women who have had to leave Venezuela precisely because of the dictatorship they are living through”.

Gil, writing on messaging app Telegram, said the remarks “indicate a deterioration of relations between the two countries”.

As well as summoning the Spanish ambassador, Ramón Santos, he said the Venezuelan ambassador in Madrid, Gladys Gutiérrez, had been recalled for consultation.

On Sunday, the Venezuelan opposition politician Edmundo González arrived in Madrid, requesting asylum which the Spanish government said it would process.

González’s supporters say he was the clear victor when he ran against President Nicolás Maduro in a July election.

Maduro has insisted he won, although without making public electoral documents to prove it, drawing international condemnation.

González took refuge in the embassy of the Netherlands and the residence of the Spanish ambassador before travelling to Spain.

His allies have said his life was in danger in Venezuela.

Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met González on Thursday.

Spain has close cultural and economic ties with Venezuela, making the South American country a sensitive issue in national politics.

This week, the right-wing opposition presented a non-binding motion which the Spanish Congress approved calling for Sánchez’s government to recognise González as president-elect.

However, the Sánchez administration prefers to remain in line with the EU, which does not accept Maduro’s victory claim, but says electoral documents must be seen before acknowledging González as the winner.

Before Robles made her comments, the president of the Venezuelan national assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, called for “all diplomatic relations, all commercial relations” with Spain to be broken off and for all flights between the countries to be cancelled.

Several major Spanish companies operate in Venezuela, including Repsol, Santander, BBVA, Telefónica and Inditex.

Official figures show that 278,000 Venezuelans were residing in Spain at the beginning of 2023, although that figure is believed to have increased substantially since.

Responding to the Venezuelan government’s announcement of diplomatic measures, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said: “We work to have the best possible relationship with the Venezuelan people.”