Brazil negotiating with Maduro to repatriate staff in Venezuela

Bloomberg

Brazil is negotiating with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to airlift diplomatic and military staff who are stranded after his government denied permission for a Brazilian Air Force cargo jet to land in Caracas, two people familiar with the matter said.
The plane was scheduled to land in the Venezuelan capital on Friday to pick up diplomatic officials and their family members as part of Brazil’s repatriation efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorised to discuss the subject publicly.
But Venezuelan military officials told the Brazilian embassy a permit to land would no longer be provided, without providing a reason.
More than 50 embassy and consular employees and their relatives now don’t know if and how they will be able to leave the country, the people said.
Brazil’s foreign ministry said it was following the case and insisted no citizen would be left behind, citing the more than 10,000 Brazilians who have so far been brought home in the wake of the pandemic. The international department of Brazil’s justice ministry said it’s aware of the situation.
Calls requesting comment to Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and Information outside of regular business hours went unanswered.
Brazil was on track to withdraw its personnel in Venezuela even before the
pandemic.
In February, Brazil decided to withdraw its diplomatic personnel from the country in another attempt to increase Maduro’s isolation.
But the move was set up as a gradual process in which diplomats and other employees used then-available commercial flights.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a US ally, recognises opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela and has provided Guaido’s envoy in Brasilia full ambassador status.
The US campaign to try to oust Maduro with economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and backing for Guaido has so far failed to dislodge the Venezuelan leader, who has
remained solidly entrenched with the apparent support of his military.