Venezuela Opens Embassy in North Korea
HAVANA TIMES – Venezuela on Wednesday opened an embassy in North Korea, Venezuela’s national news agency AVN said.
At the opening ceremony, Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben Dario Molina criticized US “attacks” against the governments in Caracas and Pyongyang.
Molina’s North Korean counterpart Pak Myung Guk said Venezuela could count on his country’s support in the fight against “imperialism.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government is seeking to boost ties with its remaining allies following a protracted power struggle between him and opposition leader Juan Guaido, during which dozens of countries have sided with Guaido.
Venezuela already had diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, but no embassy there. North Korea opened an embassy in Caracas in 2015.
Guaido declared himself interim president in January, arguing that Maduro’s victory in last year’s elections was fraudulent.
Maduro has presided over an economic collapse which has sent millions of Venezuelans fleeing to neighboring countries.
So now Nicholas has two potential bolt holes – North Korea and Cuba. In Pyongyang he could advise in fancy uniforms for the military, but he would have to slim down as Kim Jung Un would not tolerate competition for the name: “El Gordo”.
But in Cuba, Nicholas would enjoy being feted by all Raul’s henchmen, could dine out in the state owned restaurants and take breaks on Cayo Piedra where he could even take sailing lessons on Aquarama II. He could provide Diaz-Canel with a refresher course on totalitarian rule, and perhaps like Dr. Ernesto Guevara de La Serna Lynch, be granted Cuban citizenship.