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Guatemala Asks Swedish, Venezuelan Ambassadors to Leave


FILE - Anders Kompass, a well-known human rights defender and Sweden's ambassador to Guatemala, is pictured during a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 12, 2015.
FILE - Anders Kompass, a well-known human rights defender and Sweden's ambassador to Guatemala, is pictured during a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 12, 2015.

Guatemala asked Sweden and Venezuela on Thursday to remove their ambassadors from the Central American country, accusing them of interfering in its internal affairs.

A government press release said Guatemala wants Swedish ambassador Anders Kompass and Venezuelan diplomat Elena Alicia Salcedo to depart.

Kompass is a well-known official and human rights defender. A few days earlier he had announced Sweden's financial support for a United Nations-sponsored commission investigating corruption in Guatemala.

The commission, which goes by the initials CICIG, had accused Guatemala President Jimmy Morales of corruption related to alleged illegal campaign financing while he was secretary general of his party. Morales subsequently tried unsuccessfully to expel the commission's head, Ivan Velasquez, from the country.

But Guatemala did not say why it was expelling Kompass and Salcedo beyond alleging "interference in its internal affairs."

In a press conference, foreign minister Sandra Jovel described the move as a sovereign decision by her government. She said there were no plans to expel other diplomats.

Sweden's foreign minister says it is "very unfortunate" that the country's ambassador to Guatemala has been ordered to leave.

Margot Walstrom says the Swedish government will ask for "further explanations" as to why Kompass has been given 30 days to leave, adding the Scandinavian country's stance and actions "in matters relating to human rights and anti-corruption are well known."

Former Guatemalan foreign minister Fernando Carrera said the government was trying to withdraw the financial and political support for the CICIG because of its investigations into corruption.

"It's a desperate attempt, because the government has increasingly less internal support and must get rid of them," Carrera said.

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