Venezuela has expelled the top U.S. diplomat in the country and two other U.S. Embassy employees, accusing them of working with political opponents of President Nicolas Maduro’s government and seeking to destabilize Venezuela.
Maduro, in a television appearance September 30, said the Americans would have 48 hours to leave.
Maduro said authorities had "detected a group of U.S. embassy officials dedicated to meeting the far-right and to financing and encouraging acts of sabotage against the electrical system and Venezuela's economy."
Critics of Maduro have said government inefficiency is mostly to blame for shortages of some goods and power cuts.
The expulsions affect Kelly Keiderling, the charge d'affaires and top U.S. diplomat in Venezuela.
Venezuela and the United States have not had ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2010, amid long-running tensions.
Maduro, in a television appearance September 30, said the Americans would have 48 hours to leave.
Maduro said authorities had "detected a group of U.S. embassy officials dedicated to meeting the far-right and to financing and encouraging acts of sabotage against the electrical system and Venezuela's economy."
Critics of Maduro have said government inefficiency is mostly to blame for shortages of some goods and power cuts.
The expulsions affect Kelly Keiderling, the charge d'affaires and top U.S. diplomat in Venezuela.
Venezuela and the United States have not had ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2010, amid long-running tensions.