March 31, 2018
Bolivian President Evo Morales has expressed solidarity with Russia following the expulsion of its diplomats from various countries triggered by the alleged poisoning of a former spy and his daughter on British soil.
“Our solidarity with the brotherly people of Russia and its President Vladimir Putin, for the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the USA and some European countries… these reprisals attempt against world peace,” Morales said on Twitter.
Earlier this month, former double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, was found unconscious along with his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, on a bench in Salisbury, United Kingdom. Both victims remain in critical condition.
Skripal is a retired Russian military intelligence colonel who was convicted of treason in 2006 for revealing Russian intelligence agents’ identities to Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service.
As a result, over 100 diplomats have been expelled from the United States and Europe with the doors to various world consulates slamming shut behind them. In total, 28 countries, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and 18 member states have exerted similar measures.
In response, Russia declared 60 U.S. diplomats persona non grata – the same number of Russian diplomats expelled from the United States – and ordered them to leave by April 5, .
Moscow also informed the U.S. general consulate in St. Petersburg – the largest diplomatic mission in Russia – they had two days to suspend operations.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also voiced his disapproval on Thursday, saying he “is concerned about the expulsion of the 153 Russian diplomats based on the number of unfounded accusations.”
Russia has called attention to various irregularities in the investigation, rejecting the March 29 allegations as an attack against its citizens.
Source: teleSur