Foreign Affairs Minister Nicolás Maduro: Venezuela is not trying to mend ties with Israel

Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro Wednesday said that only one Israeli official is left in Caracas taking charge of the "vital issues" of the diplomatic delegation. Maduro added that Venezuela has not backed down on the expulsion of Israeli Ambassador Schlomo Cohen. In a statement, Maduro denied "reports from the Jewish News Agency" that the government of Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez is trying "to mend ties with Israel," EFE reported. Maduro stressed that "the reports of the Jewish News Agency" aim to "manipulate information to try to slow down and lower the moral and political impact" of Caracas decision to declare persona non grata and expelling seven officials of the Israeli embassy, including the Ambassador in Caracas ... We have cut diplomatic relations to a minimum. There is just one official left who is responsible for the basic administrative affairs of the Israeli mission in Caracas," Maduro said in the statement.