Overview
- José Manuel Albares held a roughly half-hour call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to people briefed on the exchange.
- The discussion covered Venezuela and Ukraine and addressed Spanish companies in Venezuela, including Repsol.
- Reporting attributes to the recent U.S. operation the capture of Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3 and the liberation of many political prisoners, among them five Spaniards.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has denounced the U.S. military action as a breach of international law and argues Venezuela’s future must be decided by Venezuelans.
- At Spain’s Conference of Ambassadors, the King warned of strains in Europe–U.S. ties and called for a prompt, genuine democratic transition in Venezuela.