Venezuela recalls its ambassador to Spain for consultations after statements by the Spanish Minister of Defense

( Spanish) –– The Venezuelan government has recalled its ambassador to Spain, Gladys Gutiérrez, in response to a complaint by the Spanish Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, that the South American country is living in a “dictatorship.”

Venezuela’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Robles’ remarks were “insolent, interventionist and rude” and that they “point to a deterioration of relations between the two countries.”

In addition to recalling its ambassador in Spain for consultations, the institution summoned the ambassador of that country in Caracas, Ramón Santos Martínez, to appear this Friday.

The Venezuelan government’s move came hours after Robles made the remarks during a cultural event in Madrid.

“I remember the men and women of Venezuela who have had to leave their country, precisely because of the dictatorship they live under,” he said, according to a Europa Press Agency report.

This fact adds to the tensions that have existed between both governments this week.

On Wednesday afternoon, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, proposed that the legislative body call on Nicolás Maduro’s Executive to break diplomatic relations with Spain, after the Congress of Deputies of the European country voted to recognize the opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia as president-elect of Venezuela.

Congress also asked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to recognise González Urrutia. Sánchez has said that Spain’s position will not change and his government will continue to seek to mediate in the post-election conflict in Venezuela. Meanwhile, Maduro has not commented on Rodríguez’s proposal.