The Swiss Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed on Monday that the chargé d’affaires of the Swiss embassy had been summoned by the Venezuelan foreign affairs ministry in Caracas in response to the sanctions.
An official note, written by Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza, had also been sent to the Swiss embassy.
The sanctions imposed by a “historically neutral” country like Switzerland would not create “conditions for dialogue” but would “strengthen extremist positions which foster violent outcomes”, Arreaza wrote.
However, no retaliatory measures had been taken against Switzerland, said a spokesperson for the Swiss foreign ministry.
The Swiss government had joined other European countries in cracking down on the South American country over alleged human rights violations.
Arreaza said the Swiss authorities’ measures would show the country’s “subordination” to the European union.
The Venezuelan supreme court also ruled on Monday that the sanctions were “grotesque” and “illegal”.
Last week, the Swiss government expressed its concern at the repeated violation of individual freedoms in Venezuela, saying the separation of powers was being severely undermined by the government.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
UBS has cut 10,000 jobs since Credit Suisse takeover in 2023
This content was published on
UBS Group has cut more than 10,000 roles since it bought Credit Suisse, marking a milestone in the lender’s efforts to integrate its former rival.
Swiss multinational SGS to move HQ from Geneva to Zug
This content was published on
The Swiss multinational SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, plans to move its headquarters from Geneva to canton Zug in central Switzerland.
Swiss army takes part in international tank competition
This content was published on
Around 20 Swiss army personnel and two Leopard 2 tanks are taking part in an international tank competition in Grafenwöhr, Germany, this week.
Omega-3 supplements seem to slow ageing process, Swiss study finds
This content was published on
Taking a daily omega-3 supplement appears to slow down the rate of biological ageing by up to four months, according to a study by researchers at the University of Zurich.
This content was published on
The Swiss writer and translator Alain Claude Sulzer has been awarded the Solothurn Literary Days Prize 2025 for his lifetime's work.
Prix de Lausanne features 85 dancers from 23 countries
This content was published on
The 53rd Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition is underway. A total of 85 young dancers from 23 countries are competing in the Swiss city.
Swiss Solidarity charity collected CHF34 million in 2024
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), raised CHF34.4 million ($37.7 million) in donations in 2024 and spent CHF63 million on humanitarian projects.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Government taking Turkish kidnapping allegations ‘very seriously’
This content was published on
This is the first time a senior government official has responded to the revelations by the Tages-Anzeiger and Der Bund papers on Wednesday of an ongoing federal investigation into a plan by Turkish diplomats to kidnap an anti-Erdogan Swiss-Turkish businessman in 2016. Diplomatic immunity excluded An investigation concerning political espionage and attempted kidnapping had been…
Swiss banks should be scrutinised for dirty money, says Venezuelan opposition activist
This content was published on
Speaking to swissinfo.ch at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy organised by the NGO UN Watch on Tuesday, Aristeguieta said that the Swiss foreign ministry and the country’s parliamentarians “remain cautious” when called upon to denounce the regime of President Nicolás Maduro. “We find support from European, Canadian and Latin American parliamentarians,…
Latest Swiss sanctions against North Korea come into effect
This content was published on
The Swiss government implemented Wednesday a raft of sanctions on North Korea, following two recent United Nations (UN) rulings.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.