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 said.
“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,” Pompeo added.
Venezuela’s National Assembly has declared a state of ‘national alarm’ following power outages that have left millions in the country without electricity.
Parliament approved the decree proposed by its leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido. Electricity is returning to parts of the capital, but the rest of the country is without power.
Schools and businesses across the country remain closed. The blackout has also affected communications networks, and hospitals have been struggling to connect to generators.