San Salvador, November 6 (RHC)-- Social organizations continued Wednesday to safeguard the Venezuelan embassy in El Salvador to prevent a possible occupation of the diplomatic premises in a similar fashion as in Washington some six months ago.
"We recognize the constitutional legitimacy of President Nicolas Maduro, and we have mobilized our forces to protect the embassy," member of the Venezuelan Embassy Defense Committee Logan Martinez told Prensa Latina.
This comes after Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele issued a statement over the weekend expelling Venezuelans diplomats as his government now won’t recognize Maduro as the legitimate head of state. Instead, El Salvador will receive new diplomatic personnel representing opposition leader Juan Guaido.
Soon after, the Venezuelan Embassy Defense Committee was formed by social organizations, students, trade unions and professional associations. These groups have gathered in front of the embassy’s building to share their solidarity with the Venezuelan people and defend the sovereignty of the South American nation.
Meanwhile, members of the Interunion Organization Rafael Aguiñada Carranza (CIRAC) blocked vehicular traffic Tuesday in front of the main entrance of the University of El Salvador in protest of Bukele's decision to break diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
CIRAC condemns and strongly rejects the servile actions of Bukele that seek to undermine the good relations that we maintain with the people of Venezuela. "We remain in resistance and in defense of the dignity of the Venezuelan people who heroically resist with courage and patriotism the brutal and inhuman economic blockade of Washington’s government and its right-wing puppet governments," youth leader Daniela Genovez added.
On Sunday, Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza announced that Caracas was expelling El Salvador's diplomats from the country in response to Bukele’s decision.
"Salvadoran authorities are breathing oxygen into the failing U.S. strategy of intervention and economic blockade against the people of Venezuela," the foreign minister said, adding that "Bukele is officially assuming the sad role of a pawn of U.S. foreign policy."
