In his latest act of defiance against the Western powers who are seeking to oust him from power, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Sunday expelled a team of five visiting European lawmakers, according to AFP.
One member of the delegation, Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons, who was in charge of the delegation, took to twitter to warn that “our passports have been seized” and that “they have not informed us of the reason for the expulsion.” The group was invited to Venezuelan by opposition leader Juan Guaido, and had professed to be on a fact-finding mission to discern the true nature of the circumstances on the ground.
Pons recounted the saga of traveling to Venezuela, having the delegations’ passports seized and then being expelled from the country, in a lengthy twitter thread.
He claimed that the only explanation for their rough treatment was that Maduro “doesn’t want us here.”
Hoy salgo hacia #Venezuela invitado por la Asamblea, con la intención de mantener una reunión de trabajo con @jguaido y ayudar en lo que podamos desde la Unión Europea a esta patria hermana que tantísimo está sufriendo. Mírenme para que pueda cumplir esta misión parlamentaria.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Vienen conmigo @GabrielMatoA @Esther_de_Lange @PauloRangel_pt e Ignacio y Juan Salafranca. Nuestra intención no es provocar sino pacíficamente reunirnos con quienes sobre el terreno pueden informarnos sobre la situación real. Y reclamar la liberación de todos los presos políticos
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Somos conscientes de que podemos no ser bien recibidos por quienes no deseen que Europa vea lo que está sucediendo en #Venezuela por eso si podemos iré contando aquí cómo estamos y si nos permiten trabajar. Gracias y hasta esta noche.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Today I leave in a @EPPGroup mission to #Venezuela invited by National Assembly. We will meet with @jguaido and will work on how EU can help this brotherly country that is suffering so much. Look at me so we can fulfill our parliamentary mission.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Altogether with me are @GabrielMatoA @Esther_De_Lange @PauloRangel_pt and Ignacio and Juan Salafranca. Our aim is not no provoke but to peacefully meet with can tell us the situation on in the ground. And yes ask for the release of all political prisoners.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
We’re aware we may not be very welcome from those who doesn’t want Europe seeing what’s going on in #Venezuela. That’s why I’ll be tweeting how we are and if we’re allowed to work. Thank u and see u tonight!
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Acabamos de aterrizar en Venezuela. Durante la escala en Santo Domingo tanto la embajadora de la UE como el de España nos han avisado de que vamos a ser expulsados o retenidos.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Somos parlamentarios y tenemos una invitación oficial de la Asamblea, si nos detienen o nos expulsan será la demostración definitiva de que aqui ya se han cerrado todas las ventanas y la UE deberá retirarse de inmediato del grupo de contacto. Y España también.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Just landed in Venezuela.During our stopover in Santo Domingo, both EU & Spain ambassadors have informed us we will be either retained or expelled. We’re MEPs with an official invitation from National Assembly.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
If expulsion happens, it should be the final proof that options are over, and the EU shall withdraw from the Contact Group. Spain too
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Éramos la primera delegación internacional invitada por el presidente @jguaido. Hoy nos empujan fuera pero pronto volveremos a una Venezuela libre.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
Be aware!Our passports have been taken and we’re being expelled from Venezuela. Bad manners and the only explanation is Maduro doesn’t want us here.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
We are first international delegation invited by president @jguaido.We are being kicked out today.Tomorrow we will come back to a free Venezuela
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
As Maduro moves to block humanitarian aid shipments organized by the US, Guaido has been gaining the support of more members of the international community. Currently, roughly 50 countries recognize him as the legitimate ruler of Venezuela, including some 30 countries in Europe. Pons was expelled along with fellow Spanish MEPs Jose Ignacio Salafranca and Gabriel Mato Adrover, as well as Esther de Lange of the Netherlands and Paulo Rangel of Portugal. All are members of the conservative European People’s Party (PPE).
In response to the expulsions, Guaido blasted Maduro as “isolated and increasingly irrational” in a tweet.
La delegación de eurodiputados invitada a Venezuela es expulsada por un régimen aislado y cada vez más irracional.
Es el usurpador quien eleva el costo a lo que es un hecho: la transición.
Ejerceremos toda la presión necesaria para lograr el cese de la usurpación. ¡Seguimos! pic.twitter.com/Mwvzi2l4Jr
— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) February 18, 2019
Meanwhile, as piles of humanitarian aid – including food, hygiene kits and nutritional supplements – have been stockpiled across the border in Cucuta, Colombia, Guaido has set a deadline of Saturday – one month to the day since he declared himself the legitimate ruler of Venezuela – as a deadline for a showdown over the aid with Maduro.
via ZeroHedge News http://bit.ly/2ttjXnY Tyler Durden