Relationship dossier
Spain
Venezuela
Relationship assessment
Longstanding ties are repeatedly strained by disputes over Venezuela’s political crisis and Spain’s support for opposition figures.
Spain toward Venezuela
-40Spain recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019 and has supported international pressure for a democratic transition in Venezuela. In 2024, Spain granted asylum to opposition candidate Edmundo González, who had left Venezuela.
Venezuela toward Spain
-40In 2018, Venezuela declared Spain’s ambassador persona non grata, amid disputes over Spain’s support for European Union measures against Venezuelan officials. The Venezuelan government has also criticized Spain’s support for opposition figures.
Overall relationship
-25The relationship combines longstanding diplomatic and societal connections with recurring, consequential political disputes. Spain’s support for opposition figures and democratic-transition efforts has drawn protests from the Venezuelan government, including the 2018 expulsion of Spain’s ambassador. These episodes indicate a persistently strained political relationship despite continuing bilateral ties.
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
Spain and Venezuela have longstanding diplomatic and societal ties, but relations have been repeatedly strained by Spain’s support for opposition-led democratic change and the Venezuelan government’s objections to what it describes as foreign interference. Spain recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019 and granted asylum to opposition candidate Edmundo González in 2024. Venezuela declared Spain’s ambassador persona non grata in 2018.
Areas of tension
- Spain’s recognition of Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019
- Spain’s support for European Union measures targeting Venezuelan officials
- Venezuela’s objections to Spain’s support for opposition figures
- Spain’s grant of asylum to Edmundo González in 2024
Key developments
Venezuela declared Spain’s ambassador persona non grata amid disputes over Spain’s support for European Union measures against Venezuelan officials.
Spain recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela.
Spain granted asylum to opposition candidate Edmundo González after he left Venezuela.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of Spanish and European Union measures affecting Venezuelan officials are unclear.
- The extent of bilateral diplomatic cooperation alongside recurring political disputes is uncertain.