US to pull all diplomatic staff from Venezuela
The US cites the deteriorating situation in the country after months of political unrest — and five days without electricity
Atlanta — The US will withdraw all remaining diplomatic personnel from Venezuela this week, the US state department said late on Monday, citing the deteriorating situation in the country after months of political unrest. It followed Washington’s January 24 decision to withdraw all dependents and reduce embassy staff to a minimum in the South American country hit by unrest over a contested presidential election. “This decision reflects the deteriorating situation in Venezuela as well as the conclusion that the presence of US diplomatic staff at the embassy has become a constraint on US policy,” the state department said in a statement. It did not give more details or set a day for personnel withdrawing from the embassy in Caracas. On Monday, Venezuela’s congress declared a “state of alarm” over a five-day power blackout that has crippled the oil cartel Opec nation’s oil exports and left millions of citizens scrambling to find food and water. Venezuela also suspended school and busine...
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