Itamaraty revokes diplomatic status of representatives of the Maduro government in Brazil | Politics

This means that the Diplomatic corps linked to the Maduro government in Brazil is no longer accepted as legitimate representation of Venezuela. The Latin legal term indicates that these Venezuelans are not welcome on Brazilian soil as government officials. The decision applies to diplomats, consuls and administrative support officials.

In the statement, Itamaraty emphasizes that the declaration of “persona non grata” does not represent an expulsion of diplomats. However, if they choose to stay in Brazil, Maduro’s government officials will have no diplomatic or consular status, no immunities or privileges.

In May, the Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Luís Roberto Barroso, prohibited Brazil from forcing the dismissal of Maduro’s allies during the Covid-19 pandemic (see details below).

“The declaration of ‘persona non grata’ does not, therefore, amount to expulsion or any other measure of compulsory departure from the national territory,” says the statement released by Itamaraty this Friday.

In March, the Bolsonaro government had already ordered the dismissal of four Brazilian diplomats and 11 officials working at the embassy in Venezuela. At the time, Brazil expected the Venezuelan government to reciprocate, which it did not.

The following month, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the Venezuelan Embassy in Brasilia, indicating that the diplomats had until May 2 to leave the country.

After that period, the group would be considered “persona non grata”, which was only formalized this Friday, five months later, according to Itamaraty.

In a statement issued at that time, Venezuela said that Itamaraty’s determination had the sole purpose of “misleading public opinion in that country.” [Brasil] to hide his open subordination to the United States government that today governs the once prestigious Brazilian foreign policy ”.

In May, after the initial deadline given by Itamaraty for the dismissal of diplomats (or due to the loss of diplomatic status), Minister Luis Roberto Barroso, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), determined that these measures could not be carried out during the new coronavirus pandemic.

For the minister, the exit does not characterize an urgency or emergency measure that justifies breaking the social isolation recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the medical authorities. The decision is valid for the duration of the state of calamity, declared until December 31.

The government of Jair Bolsonaro disputes the permanence of Maduro in power and describes the current situation as an “illegitimate regime.” Brazil currently supports self-proclaimed President Juan Guaidó, who has been trying to establish himself in power since 2019.

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Guaidó is the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, who is in charge of assuming the presidency in the vacancy of the position. He called himself president because he believes that Maduro’s re-election in 2018 was illegitimate.

As president in an attempt to recognize other countries, Juan Guaidó has an official representative in Brazil: Professor María Teresa Belandría.

The Itamaraty decision published on Friday does not apply to Belandría, which has a good relationship with the Bolsonaro government and acts as Guaidó’s interlocutor in Brazil.

Read the full note released by Itamaraty this Friday below:

As of today, September 4, 2020, the Brazilian Government has communicated to the diplomatic, consular and administrative representatives of the illegitimate regime of Venezuela that it has declared them “personae non gratae”.

The declaration of “persona non grata”, a legal instrument widely recognized and used in international relations, is a prerogative that States have to indicate that a foreign official representative is no longer welcome as such in their territory, conferring on the country that sent it representative has the prerogative to expel him from the receiving country, and the employee can also remain in the receiving country without diplomatic or consular status or corresponding immunities and privileges.