Venezuela restricts Netherlands diplomats for challenging Maduro’s election claim

The South American country of Venezuela announced plans to punish the Netherlands in the same manner it took action against France and Italy, and will limit the number of Dutch diplomats allowed in the country to three. Venezuela criticized the “hostile” reaction of the three governments to the claimed re-election of President Nicolás Maduro. The Netherlands has since summoned Venezuela's chargé d'affaires over the matter, and threatened retaliation.

The restriction applies to Dutch, French and Italian diplomats with a valid residence permit in Venezuela. In addition, the diplomats must obtain written permission to travel more than 40 kilometers from Plaza Bolivar in Caracas, located in the center of the capital, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Maduro was recently sworn in for a third term, although many in the international community have disputed his election victory last year. The Netherlands offered opposition leader González Urrutia refuge at the Dutch embassy in Caracas last summer.

The measure from Venezuela will be enforced against all three countries within 48 hours, according to a statement from Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto. He accused the three nations of “support for extremist groups and their interference in domestic affairs.”

Further sanctions will be issued if Venezuelan sovereignty is not respected, he wrote. The country’s government said it will “take necessary action” in order to “guarantee its stability, sovereignty and the path to peace and prosperity achieved by our own effort.”

Venezuela's chargé d'affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said he wants clarification about the country's decision to limit the number of Dutch diplomats there to three and restrict their movement.

He said in a response that there will definitely be a retaliatory response. "We are now considering, also together with EU partners, what that counter-reaction will look like."

The Dutch kingdom’s constituent countries of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are located off the coast of Venezuela. Aruba is less than 30 kilometers away from Venezuela.