Venezuelans living in Ecuador protested the results of the Venezuelan elections which took place in July.
Keystone
At Quito’s request, Switzerland will represent Ecuador’s interests in Venezuela. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Ecuador’s ambassador to Switzerland, Verónica Bustamante Ponce, signed an agreement to this effect on Thursday.
The Swiss embassies in Quito and Caracas will now provide the diplomatic channel, the Swiss foreign ministry said on Thursday. Consular functions will be carried out by a section established to safeguard Ecuador’s interests. It will be legally attached to the Swiss embassy but located in the building of the Ecuadorian embassy in Caracas.
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Quito and Caracas severed diplomatic relations after the Venezuelan presidential elections last July, the foreign ministry explained. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries had been building prior to this.
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Good offices are firmly rooted in Swiss diplomatic tradition. The mandate on behalf of Ecuador with Venezuela is in addition to the seven protective power mandates that Bern currently exercises.
Switzerland has represented Iran’s interests in Egypt since 1979, those of the United States in Iran since 1980, those of Russia in Georgia and those of Georgia in Russia since 2009, and those of Iran in Canada since 2019. Since this year, the Alpine country has also represented Ecuador’s interests in Mexico and Mexico’s interests in Ecuador.
Translated from French with DeepL/gw
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