The national constituent assembly president, Delcy Rodriguez, declared both Brazil’s ambassador and Canada’s charge d’affaires as personas non grata, a move which does away with their diplomatic credentials. The constituent assembly passed a decree requiring the parties to reapply for legal status. “Our resolve remains unchanged.”The move to send home the two diplomats comes shortly after the government sparred with US envoy Todd Robinson, who arrived days before Venezuela’s measure blocking the three opposition parties. “The Venezuelan government and its illegitimate national constituent assembly are inventing rules as they go,” the embassy said in a tweet. Rodriguez told reporters the constituent assembly was recommending the detainees be given alternative punishments such as community service and compensation for victims.

Source: The Guardian December 24, 2017 02:03 UTC