Venezuela announced on Monday that it was closing its embassy in Norway, less than a week after the opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ms. Machado was awarded the prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee said was “her tireless work promoting democratic rights,” putting attention on the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela did not attribute the closure to the peace prize selection, saying it was part of a wider realignment of its diplomacy.
In a statement posted on social media, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said it was reallocating resources to focus on establishing alliances with the Global South.
The statement added that Venezuela would also close its embassy in Australia and open new ones in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso.
Cecilie Roang, a spokeswoman for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an email that Venezuelan officials had informed Norway of the closure but did not give an explanation. “This is regrettable,” she said.
She added: “Despite differing views on several issues, Norway remains committed to maintaining an open dialogue with Venezuela and will continue to work toward that goal.”
Thor Halvorssen, the chief executive of the nonprofit organization Human Rights Watch, wrote in a statement on social media that Venezuela’s closure of its embassy in Norway was “an act of political vengeance, a petulant attempt to punish Norway for daring to honor the woman Maduro and his henchmen most fear.”
Posted by John3262005