Photo by: Gary Raynaldo /  Supporters of Venezuela opposition interim president Jaun  Guaidó outside the Consulate General of Venezuela at 7  E. 51st  Street in Manhattan, NY City March 19, 2019. 

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Representatives of  Venezuela’s ‘interim president’  Jaun  Guaidó  took control of the Venezuela Consulate General building in New York City Monday.  In addition, they also took over diplomatic buildings in Washington D.C.  Guaidó’s ambassador to Washington,  Carlos Vecchio, stated he had taken control of three Venezuelan diplomatic properties in the United States.  Vecchio, appointed by self-declared president Guaidó, entered two Venezuelan military buildings in Washington — while advisory minister Gustavo Marcano took control of the consulate in New York.  On January 23, 2019 Guaidó declared himself the country’s interim president amid nationwide protests, in a bid to seize power from Maduro. The Trump administration immediately announced it recognized opposition leader  Guaidó as the new interim President of Venezuela.

Photo by: Gary Raynaldo /  Gustavo Marcano, advisory minister of self-declared Venezuelan president  Guaidó, with bullhorn speaks to supporters outside Consulate General of Venezuela in Manhattan, after showing reporters around the spacious diplomatic property.  Marcano characterized the takeover of the  consulate as a “liberation,” and said it would soon reopen to “all Venezuelans.” March 19, 2019 

Marcano is second in command of delegation to the US named by Guaido and led  Monday’s take over of the New York Consulate. It was still unclear who gave the keys to the consulate to the Guaido supporters that allowed them access, and  who are now controlling all operations there. “How did they get inside the consulate,”? one observer outside the six-story building asked. “Did they just break in and take over?”  There were reports that the supporters removed the old locks to the front door and  replaced them, assuring that any pro-Maduro consulate crew could not access the building with their keys to the old locks. 

Video by Gary Raynaldo.  Guaidó supporter explains importance of taking possession of  the New York consulate from the pro-Maduro regime. 

Video by Gary Raynaldo /  Pro-Guaidó supporters sing songs in front of Venezuela consulate

Video by Gary Raynaldo / More songs by supporters of Venezuela opposition.

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Denounced The “forceful and illegal seizure” by Guaidó’s representatives, saying it was a violation of the guidelines established by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. 

El Gobierno Bolivariano denuncia la ocupación forzosa e ilegal de algunas de sus sedes diplomáticas en EEUU en franca violación de la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas. Las autoridades de EEUU deben corregir esta situación irregular de inmediato. Comunicado: pic.twitter.com/v4NoF12lCP

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) March 18, 2019

Before:   Pro-Maduro Venezuela Consulate General New York:

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  Poster of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in window of New York Consulate General on Jan. 28, 2019.

AFTER:  Pro-Guaido Supporters Take Over NY City Consulate:

Photo by: Gary Raynaldo /  Poster of Hugo Chavez was taken down by supporters of Venezuela opposition and replaced by placard reading: “Soon We Will Open The Doors Of This Consulate To All Venezuelans”

U.S Supports Assumed Control Of  Venezuelan Diplomatic Facilities 

“Ambassador Carlos Vecchio, on behalf of the government of interim President Juan Guaido, assumed control of three Venezuelan diplomatic facilities in the United States: two military attaché buildings, and the Venezuelan consulate in New York. This is a welcome development for our bilateral relations with Venezuela.  We are pleased to support this request from the Government of interim President Juan Guaido.  U.S. policy is to support democracy in Venezuela, interim President Guaido, and the National Assembly, which is the only democratically-elected institution in the country.”

U.S Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino