Venezuela ends Brazil’s management of Argentine affairs amid ongoing spat

Announcement comes as Venezuela faces growing diplomatic isolation following election that opposition says was stolen.

The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has ended Brazil’s authority to represent Argentine interests in the country, in the latest example of post-election tensions.

The decision would halt Brazil’s stewardship of Argentina’s embassy in Caracas, which currently shelters six Venezuelan opposition members seeking asylum.

In a statement on Saturday, Maduro’s government said that the decision was effective immediately, arguing, without proof, that assassination attempts were being planned within the diplomatic facility.

Maduro and his allies have sought to crack down on opposition members, following a contested presidential election in July.

But Brazil pushed back, releasing its own statement that it would not surrender its authority over the embassy. It also underscored that international law prevents local law enforcement from entering diplomatic facilities without permission.