The European Union has appointed the Portuguese Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa as the next ambassador in Cuba to replace the Spanish Alberto Navarro, whose mandate expires on August 31. Brilhante was the former EU representative in Venezuela, a country from which she was expelled as a protest by Maduro’s drug dictatorship to the sanctions imposed from Brussels.

The chief European Union diplomat in Venezuela left the country on Tuesday, a week after the government of Nicolás Maduro ordered her expulsion following the EU’s decision to impose sanctions on several Venezuelan officials accused of undermining democracy or violating human rights. Full Text -> USNews

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told local media Thursday that Caracas was making “a gesture” in order “not to hinder the dialogue with the European Union.” He said the government hopes “therefore, that there will also be gestures from Europe to have a much more objective position on the events in our country.” Full Text-> VOA