The United States will withdraw its remaining diplomatic staff from the embassy in Caracas as the crisis in Venezuela worsens, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced.
"This decision reflects the deteriorating situation in Venezuela as well as the conclusion that the presence of US diplomatic staff at the embassy has become a constraint on US policy," Mr Pompeo wrote on Twitter.
On January 24 the State Department ordered all non-emergency US government employees to depart Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro is facing a stiff challenge for power from opposition leader Juan Guaido amid an acute economic crisis.
That day the department also urged Americans living in Venezuela to consider leaving.
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Much of the country, including Caracas, has been without power since last week, with no end to the blackouts in sight.
In January, President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela won re-election, but Juan Guaidó, an opposition leader, declared himself the interim president, setting off a political crisis. The United States has backed Mr. Guaidó and accused Cuba and Russia of propping up Maduro.
By Daniel Victor © 2019 The New York Times with AFP
