Breaking news: The governments of Venezuela and Turkey have agreed to sign a Protecting Power Agreement that would allow the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC to be under the charge of the Turkish government. To be operative, however, it must be approved by the State Department. Please sign this petition urging the State Department to give its approval.
It is in the U.S. interest to approve this agreement because then the Venezuelan government will approve a similar Protecting Power Agreement reached between the United States and Switzerland to give the Swiss government control of the US Embassy in Caracas and provide critical functions such as assisting U.S. citizens.
There are disagreements within the US government, however, with the John Bolton faction wanting to hand the Venezuela Embassy over to the representatives of opposition leader Juan Guaidó, even though they have no control inside Venezuela and would not be able to carry out any of the functions of an embassy. We must convince the more rational members of the Trump administration that approving the Protecting Power Agreement between Venezuela and Turkey is in the interest of the U.S. government and in the interest of the people of both nations.
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Dear Secretary Mike Pompeo,
We are encouraged to learn that on May 21, the Venezuelan and Turkish governments have agreed to sign a Protecting Power Agreement that would put the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC under the charge of the Turkish government. This is similar to the agreement that the State Department has worked out with Switzerland to take charge of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. We have learned that the Maduro government is ready to approve the U.S.-Swiss Protecting Power Agreement if the U.S. government will approve the agreement between Venezuela and Turkey.
Such a reciprocal agreement will be beneficial for the people of both nations, as the Protecting Power Agreements will provide the U.S. and Venezuelan citizens with assistance when in need and will keep the embassies intact until relations are re-established at a future date.