Lima to Revoke Venezuelan Embassy Staff Visas - Peruvian Deputy FM

"We have already informed staff of the Venezuelan embassy that after this period they will not be recognized as representatives of Venezuela […] We tell them that they become illegal in Peru and that we cancel their visas", the deputy minister said, adding that the 15-day period was counted from 22 February.

Peruvian Envoy to the United Nations Gustavo Meza-Cuadra told Sputnik in January that Lima is against the intra-Venezuelan dialogue and calls for holding free and fair elections in Venezuela.

READ MORE: Caracas Accuses Lima Group of Supporting Corruption, Dubs 'The Lima Cartel'

Venezuela is currently going through a political crisis. On 5 January, lawmaker Juan Guaido was elected as the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which all other government branches have been refusing to recognize in 2016. On 23 January, two days after the Venezuelan Supreme Court annulled his election, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president". Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on 10 January after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.

The United States immediately recognized Guaido, after which some 50 other countries followed suit. Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other states have, in the meantime, voiced their support for the legitimate government of Maduro. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, declaring themselves neutral and promoting crisis settlement via dialogue.

READ MORE: Maduro Calls Lima Group's Declaration on Venezuelan Crisis 'Ridiculous'

The Lima Group of 14 countries was created in 2017 and seeks to end the crisis in Venezuela. The group includes Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia. The majority of organization's member states are backing Guaido.