Relationship dossier
Germany
Venezuela
Relationship assessment
Political disputes and Venezuela’s 2019 expulsion of Germany’s ambassador have strained bilateral relations.
Germany toward Venezuela
-35Germany rejected Nicolás Maduro’s 2018 re-election and recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019. Germany has also participated in EU sanctions targeting Venezuelan officials.
Venezuela toward Germany
-35Venezuela declared German ambassador Daniel Kriener persona non grata in 2019 after he publicly supported opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
Overall relationship
-35The enduring relationship has been shaped by political confrontation over Venezuela’s government and electoral legitimacy. Germany’s support for Guaidó and participation in EU sanctions, alongside Venezuela’s expulsion of the German ambassador, outweigh the limited evidence here of substantive bilateral cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Germany and Venezuela have maintained diplomatic relations, but their relationship has been strained by Germany’s rejection of Nicolás Maduro’s 2018 re-election and its recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019. Venezuela responded by expelling German ambassador Daniel Kriener, who had publicly supported Guaidó. Germany has also participated in European Union sanctions targeting Venezuelan officials. These episodes point to recurring political confrontation, although they do not establish the full scope of bilateral engagement.
Areas of tension
- Germany’s rejection of Nicolás Maduro’s 2018 re-election and recognition of Juan Guaidó as interim president
- Venezuela’s expulsion of German ambassador Daniel Kriener in 2019
- German participation in EU sanctions targeting Venezuelan officials
Key developments
Germany recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela amid a dispute over Nicolás Maduro’s re-election.
Venezuela declared German ambassador Daniel Kriener persona non grata after he publicly supported Guaidó.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of bilateral cooperation outside the political disputes is unclear.
- The scope and implementation of German participation in EU measures concerning Venezuela are unclear.