Diplomatic aftermath with Peru – Venezuela

The World Cup qualifier between Peru and Venezuela has led to a diplomatic dispute between both South American countries. Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil accused Peru’s authorities on Wednesday (local time) of delaying the return flight of his country’s national team for hours after the 1-1 draw in Lima because they had prohibited the plane from refueling. This was a “vengeful kidnapping” on the part of the Peruvian government, Gil wrote on the X platform (Twitter).

The Peruvian Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations and regretted the situation. Rather, the aircraft was subject to private delivery restrictions. Out of solidarity and cooperation, the plane was later refueled and the crew returned to Venezuela.

Venezuela is currently in fourth place in South American qualifying and is hoping to take part in the World Cup for the first time. Peru is a distant tenth. Many of the millions of Venezuelans who have left the country because of the economic and political crisis there live in Peru, often illegally. Relations between the two Andean states are tense.

World Cup qualification

Sixth matchday: November 21st, 2023 Paraguay Colombia 0:1 November 21st, 2023 Uruguay Bolivia 3:0 November 21st, 2023 Ecuador Chile 1:0 November 21st, 2023 Brazil Argentina 0:1 November 21st, 2023 Peru Venezuela 1:1

* Three points deducted