The call for consultations by the Venezuelan ambassador to Spain and the call by the Spanish ambassador to Caracas, in reaction to the statements of Marguerite Robles in which he describes the Chavista regime as a “dictatorship”, confirm that foreign policy should never be used as an element of internal confrontation.
The events that led to this new diplomatic crisis are as follows.
When Congress asked the government on Wednesday to recognize the legitimate victory of the opposition candidate in the Venezuelan elections of July 28 Edmundo GonzalezVenezuela’s National Assembly responded by urging Nicolas Maduro to “break off diplomatic, consular, economic and commercial relations” with Spain.
The call for consultations by the Venezuelan ambassador and the summons of the Spanish ambassador to Caracas are Maduro’s response to this request from the Assembly.
Patxi Lopez He reacted to both events by accusing the PP, which, according to him, “believing that it was attacking the progressive government, attacked all the companies that have commercial relations and businesses in Venezuela.”
A few hours later, the Minister of Defense, Marguerite Roblescalled the Chavista regime a “dictatorship” and accused it of “persecuting and limiting” the country’s fundamental rights.
This editorial aims to recall two obvious facts.
The first is that recognizing the victory of the democratic opposition against a tyrannical regime like that of Venezuela is not “attacking Spanish companies.”
The second is that the government of Nicolas Maduro is in reality a dictatorship that violates the fundamental rights of Venezuelans on a daily basis.
From here, and beyond the management of diplomatic time, which in this case corresponds to the Government, what is clear is that Spanish foreign policy must never be a reason for confrontation between the Executive and the opposition.
First, because it boosts the weight and influence of our country abroad.
Secondly, just as the PP and the PSOE can have different, even radically different, positions on issues such as Venezuela, foreign governments, and even more so if it is a dictatorial regime like Maduro’s, do not distinguish between the PP and the PSOE. PSOE, to those who see, with reason on the other hand, as representatives of the Spanish Statenot like “left” or “right”.
Beyond this consideration, EL ESPAÑOL asks the government for a minimum unity of action and discourse, both in domestic and foreign policy.
That the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albareswill refuse to call the Venezuelan regime a dictatorship a few hours after Margarita Robles, and will try to get out of the mess by asking the PP to condemn Francdemonstrates that the government lacks a coherent discourse on Venezuela, capable of being used against the EU, against its government partners, against the opposition, against the media and against Spanish citizens.
But these contradictions and political and moral balances must not in any way harm Spain’s international position. Because this could end up affecting Spanish companies. And not only in Venezuela, but throughout the world.
