Lima Group Recalling Ambassadors for Consultations After Elections in Venezuela

13:19 GMT, 21 May 2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Lima Group countries have agreed to reduce their level of diplomatic relations with Venezuela, recalling their ambassadors for consultations and expressing protest to Venezuelan ambassadors following elections in the country, the Mexican government said Monday.

Sputnik

"The governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Santa Lucia express the following: they do not recognize the legitimacy of the electoral process developed in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on May 20 … They agree to reduce the level of their diplomatic relations with Venezuela, for which they will summon their ambassadors in Caracas for consultations and convening Venezuelan ambassadors to express our protest," the statement read.

The countries also expressed their concern about the deepening of the political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.

Nicolas Maduro Wins Venezuelan Presidential Election - Preliminary Data

21 May 2018, 02:30 GMT

This act followed a presidential election Venezuela held on Sunday. According to the National Electoral Council, incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro was re-elected as the Venezuelan president securing 68 percent of votes. His opponent Henri Falcon announced, that he did not recognize the results of the vote due to alleged mass electoral violations.