Ecuador closes consulate services in Venezuela

Quito : The Foreign Ministry of Ecuador announced that starting Saturday, "consular services in Venezuela will continue to be served electronically and through the consulates in Bogota and Panama City" after the closure of the Ecuadorian consulate in Caracas.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility established an action plan after the closure of the Ecuadorian consulate in that territory to be implemented from September 14," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The reason, however, for the closure of the consulate in Venezuela was not mentioned, reports Xinhua news agency.

It added that the action plan facilitates consular services for Ecuadorian citizens who are in Venezuela "without the need for them to move to another country."

According to the ministry, the Ecuadorian consulates in Bogota and Panama will electronically handle emergency passport procedures and the legalisation of documents issued by Ecuadorian authorities with electronic signatures.