Rodríguez Zapatero has canceled his scheduled trip to Miami, citing concerns over the potential backlash from Venezuelans who oppose his support for Nicolás Maduro’s regime. According to the Organization of Venezuelans Persecuted Politically in Exile (Veppex), the former Spanish prime minister decided against attending due to the fear of facing public rejection for his controversial mediation efforts in Venezuela.
Zapatero was originally set to participate in the First Ibero-American Summit on Strategic Communication (Cibecom) on Thursday, where he was slated to be part of a panel discussion titled “Reputation of Countries and Their Relationship with Economic and Social Development.” Alongside him, the panel was to include Vinicio Cerezo, the president of Guatemala, and former Uruguayan president Luis Alberto Lacalle.
The event’s organizers confirmed that Zapatero would no longer be attending. His decision to withdraw follows pressure from the Venezuelan exile community, which has strongly criticized his involvement in mediating between the Maduro regime and opposition leaders.
In recent years, Zapatero’s role in Venezuelan politics has been a point of contention. While he has positioned himself as a mediator, attempting to foster dialogue between the Venezuelan government and opposition groups, many Venezuelan exiles view his actions as tacit support for Maduro, whose government they accuse of human rights abuses and repression.
The cancellation comes at a time when tensions surrounding Venezuela’s political crisis continue to intensify, and Zapatero’s decision is seen as an attempt to avoid further conflict with the vocal and growing Venezuelan diaspora.
