Venezuela Is Making It Hard for Spain to Form a New Government

Spanish embassy in Caracas gives refuge to opposition leader
Decision has caused tension between Sanchez and Podemos ally

Leopoldo Lopez speaks to members of the media outside of the Spanish ambassador’s residence in Caracas on May 2.Photographer: Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg

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By Charles Penty

May 3, 2019 at 1:18 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The botched uprising in Venezuela is having a surprising but tangible effect on politics all the way over in Spain.

By allowing the opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez to seek refuge as a “guest” in its embassy in Caracas, Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has chosen to deepen its involvement with the tortured situation in a way that’s not to the liking of possible partners.