KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Government of Jamaica has announced that its Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela will be temporarily closed with effect April 1.

The move, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, is due to significant challenges being faced for some time now to operate the post.

“As we have previously stated publicly, we have been monitoring circumstances related to the operations of the Embassy, both in the wider context of our diplomatic representation review, as well as in the particular circumstances of the mission in Caracas. The ministry along with its Embassy have been experiencing significant challenges in the operations at the post for some time, and temporary closure is now the practical solution,” said Minister Kamina Johnson Smith.

The minister reminded that over the past two years, the ministry has been reviewing its resident diplomatic presence overseas due to the ever changing global environment and the emergence of new patterns of trade and investment as well as technical and economic cooperation.

She further noted that: “Later this year, there will be further announcements regarding Jamaica’s diplomatic representation overseas, including openings where we believe our presence could be mutually beneficial to us and our host country”.

The ministry advised that during the period of closure of the Embassy in Caracas, the management of Jamaica’s relations with Venezuela will be undertaken from the ministry’s headquarters in Kingston.