Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has accused opponents of President Nicolás Maduro of being linked to damages at the country’s diplomatic facilities in five nations. The vandalism was allegedly coordinated by grassroots groups known as “comanditos,” although no evidence was provided to support this claim. The incidents occurred three days after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term, despite credible evidence of his election defeat.
Gil has requested authorities in Portugal, Germany, Spain, Colombia, and Costa Rica to expedite their investigations to identify those responsible and ensure the integrity of the facilities. The main opposition coalition has not yet responded to the minister’s accusations.
In Lisbon, Portugal, law enforcement authorities are investigating an attack on Venezuela’s consulate involving a small incendiary device that caused minor damage to the building’s façade. Portugal’s Foreign Ministry condemned the incident as an intolerable act and announced increased security measures in the area.
Portugal has a significant immigrant community in Venezuela, with around 200,000 Portuguese nationals registered in the country. This figure does not include descendants born in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry released images of the alleged vandalism, including a Venezuelan flag spray-painted with the name “Edmundo,” the opposition candidate recognized by several governments as the legitimate winner of the July presidential election. Despite the National Electoral Council declaring Maduro the winner, the opposition collected tally sheets from electronic voting machines, showing their candidate, Edmundo González, had won by a significant margin.
UN experts and the US-based Carter Center, invited to observe the election, confirmed the legitimacy of the opposition’s tally sheets. The comanditos groups, formed by supporters of the main opposition coalition, aimed to encourage voter participation and organize efforts for the presidential election.
