(CNN Spanish) –– The Government of Venezuela called its ambassador in Spain, Gladys Gutiérrez, for consultations, claiming that the Spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, said that the South American country is experiencing a “dictatorship.”
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Robles’ statements are “insolent, interfering and rude” and that they “point to a deterioration in relations between both countries.”
In addition to calling its ambassador in Spain for consultations, the institution summoned that country’s ambassador in Caracas, Ramón Santos Martínez, to appear this Friday.
The measure by the Government of Venezuela occurred hours after Robles made the statements during a cultural event in Madrid.
“I remember the men and women of Venezuela who have had to leave their country, precisely because of the dictatorship they live in,” he said, according to a report from the Europa Press agency.
This fact adds to the tensions that have existed between both governments this week.
On Wednesday afternoon, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, proposed that the legislative body call on the Executive of Nicolás Maduro to break diplomatic relations with Spain, after the Congress of Deputies of the European country ruled to recognize to the opponent Edmundo González Urrutia as elected president of Venezuela.
Congress also asked the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, to recognize González Urrutia. Sánchez has said that Spain’s position will not change and his government will continue seeking to mediate the post-election conflict in Venezuela. Meanwhile, Maduro has not commented on Rodríguez’s approach.
