The EU's foreign chief Josep Borrell accuses Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro of being dictatorial. The statement was made in an interview with Spanish TV, which was broadcast on Sunday. Borrell simultaneously paid tribute to "those who have been forced to leave Venezuela" due to the country's governance.
Borrell also claimed that over 2,000 people have been arbitrarily detained in Venezuela in the unrest following the controversial presidential election on July 28, where Maduro was declared the winner despite the opposition candidate being believed to have received more votes.
The interview was conducted after Venezuela's opposition leaders were granted asylum in Spain, followed by Caracas recalling its ambassador in Madrid.
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil responded to the EU criticism in a post on Telegram. Gil called Borrell "a spokesperson for evil" and the EU "an outdated, colonial, war-mongering institution".