Diplomatic staff appointed by Guaido ‘takes over’ Venezuelan Embassy in Costa Rica

The ambassador appointed by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, Maria Faria, took control of the Embassy of Venezuela in Costa Rica on Wednesday morning. The embassy announced this in a press release, saying that the representatives of the government of President Nicolas Maduro were dismissed from their duties. The Costa Rican government demanded on February 16 that three Venezuelan diplomats accredited by Maduro leave the country before April 15. President Carlos Alvarado also reportedly received the credential letter of Faria. Costa Rica is among the countries that have recognized the authority of Guaido, who has proclaimed himself interim president of the country. In a separate development, Guaido said on Wednesday that he spoke to the president of Switzerland to try to freeze banks accounts belonging to Venezuela after “irregular movements” were discovered, Reuters reports.