Guaido Allies Leave Venezuela Embassy in Brazil After Stand-Off
Juan Guaido Backers Enter Venezuela Embassy in Brazil in Bold Move
(Bloomberg) -- Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido entered the country’s embassy in Brasilia on Wednesday, a move coinciding with the arrival of Russian and Chinese leaders for an international summit.
Freddy Meregote, the embassy’s charge d’affaires representing the government of Nicolas Maduro, said in an interview that the embassy was “invaded” and asked the Brazilian government to provide protection. Guaido representative Maria Teresa Belandria said in a statement that a group of embassy workers defected, recognized Guaido as president and opened the doors of the building.
Tensions flared as leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Brasilia for a summit of the world’s largest emerging markets, known as the BRICS. While Russia and China continue to back Maduro, Brazil is the only BRICS member and one of the roughly 50 nations worldwide that recognizes the opposition leader as Venezuela’s rightful head of state. Still, Guaido’s efforts to remove Maduro have stalled after a botched uprising in April.
Read more: Brazil to Urge Emerging Market Peers to Review Venezuelan Ties
Meregote said he sought help from leftist lawmakers and members of social organizations. Paulo Pimenta, a deputy for the Workers’ Party, came to the embassy to aid Maduro’s envoy as dozens of supporters of Guaido and Maduro exchanged insults outside the building.
Guaido supporters entered the embassy at around 4:00 a.m. local time. Pro-Maduro diplomats living at the site say their families are at risk.
A representative from Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Ministry is on the grounds and speaking with both sides. Brazilian police have also gathered at the entrance of the embassy, but have not gone inside.
Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said he "condemned the interference from external actors" at the embassy in a Facebook post that had been reworded after describing the act as an invasion. "We are taking necessary measures to protect public order and avoid acts of violence."
The meeting of the BRICS heads of state is taking place Nov. 13-14 in Brasilia.
--With assistance from Mario Sergio Lima.
To contact the reporter on this story: Samy Adghirni in Brasilia Newsroom at sadghirni@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Juan Pablo Spinetto at jspinetto@bloomberg.net, Matthew Malinowski, Patricia Laya
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