Friday, February 14, 2025

Venezuela distributes ‘wanted’ posters for Mexican ex-presidents

Venezuela’s National Assembly has declared former Mexican presidents Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderón as personae non gratae, intensifying tensions as the country’s political crisis deepens.

The move by Venezuela’s ruling party majority also targets seven other former Latin American leaders who expressed support for opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia in his bid to be sworn in as president.

Wanted posters for two former Mexican presidents, emitted by Venezuela
Venezuela Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello ordered these wanted posters of former Mexican presidents to be distributed across his country. (Prensa CICPC/Instagram)

González claims victory in Venezuela’s disputed 2024 elections, which the government declared were won by incumbent Nicolás Maduro. On Friday in Caracas, Maduro was sworn in for his third six-year term.

Dominated by pro-Maduro lawmakers, the Assembly labeled the former presidents as unwelcome and said they will be prosecuted as a “foreign force attempting to invade” if they try to enter Venezuela.

Minister of the Interior Diosdado Cabello escalated the rhetoric by unveiling wanted posters of the leaders, accusing them of “conspiracy” and “threatening the peace of Venezuela.” Cabello ordered their dissemination nationwide, including in ports and airports.

Fox and Calderón are both members of Mexico’s National Action Party (PAN).

A DEA wanted poster for the Interior Minister of Venezuela
Venezuela Interior Minister Cabello is no stranger to wanted posters, as he himself is wanted by the U.S. DEA for his connections to the drug-trafficking organization Cartel of the Suns. (U.S. DEA)

Known in recent years for creating satirical and critical videos targeting Donald Trump, and for part-ownership in a chain of cannabis stores in Mexico, Fox governed from 2000 to 2006.

Calderón, who recently distanced himself from one of his top officials, was president from 2006 to 2012. His security minister, Genaro García Luna, was recently sentenced to nearly 40 years in jail in the U.S. for colluding with the Sinaloa Cartel.

Although neither Fox nor Calderón have made an explicit statement on the Venezuela election, both have expressed support for the Venezuelan opposition leader on social media and/or in interviews.

Calderón stated he would accompany González during a tour of Latin America leading up to an anticipated swearing-in attempt.

The other presidents on the banned list are Mario Abdo (Paraguay 2018-2023), Mireya Moscoso (Panama 1999-2004), Ernesto Pérez Balladares (Panama 1994-1999), Jorge Quiroga (Bolivia 2001-2002), Jamil Mahuad (Ecuador 1998-2000) and Laura Chinchilla (Costa Rica 2010-2014).

After Venezuela’s National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner of elections in July, Mexico’s then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Mexico would respect the announced result “because that’s democracy.”

A few days later, he said Mexico would not participate in an international meeting concerning the election.

AMLO and Maduro at the former's December inauguration.
Maduro and former President López Obrador maintained friendly relations during AMLO’s time in office. (File photo)

González is recognized as the rightful victor by the United States, Canada, Spain and other European Union countries, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile. Those supporting Maduro include Russia, China, Iran, Cuba and Turkey.

Meanwhile, government officials in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia have called for an independent, impartial verification of the election tally.

Credible reports from election observers suggest that González won by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

Maduro’s inauguration last week was attended by 10 heads of state, according to Venezuela state media. Those present included Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega and Cuba’s Miguel Diaz-Canel. Several Maduro allies stayed home, including Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who cited the arrest of a Venezuelan human rights defender as his reason for missing the event.

Mexico was represented by its ambassador to Venezuela, Leopoldo de Gyvés de la Cruz, according to Mexico Business News.

“A representative will attend the inauguration, and we see no reason why this should be an issue,” said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, stating that it is the responsibility of the Venezuelan people to determine their internal affairs.

With reports from Infobae, El Financiero and Associated Press

2 COMMENTS

  1. Mexico should also declare previous Presidents “personae non gratae” and seek to recover the wealth of Mexico that they stole.

  2. “A representative will attend the inauguration, and we see no reason why this should be an issue,” said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, stating that it is the responsibility of the Venezuelan people to determine their internal affairs.

    The world view on national autonomy is changing. Many now view that national states have been defined by political forces. climate change teaches us about interdependence. The world obviously cannot afford leaders like Putin and Trump. We cannot afford the UN Security Council which protects countries like China, Russia, Israel, AND the USA. If Sheibaum wants to be really progressive, she will carve out a international vision addressing governance and problems. She has 6 years to work on Mexico becoming more international.

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