Mexico–Venezuela relations are foreign relations between Mexico and Venezuela. Both nations are members of the Association of Caribbean States, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Latin American Integration Association, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States and the United Nations.
History
Relations from Spanish colonization to the 1990s
Both Mexico and Venezuela share a common history in the fact that both nations were once part of the Spanish Empire. During the Spanish colonial period, Mexico was then known as Viceroyalty of New Spain and the capital being Mexico City while what became nowadays Venezuela was known then as the Captaincy General of Venezuela with Caracas as its capital. In 1810, both Mexico and Venezuela began their independence processes from Spain with each nation finally obtaining independence in 1821 and 1830, respectively. Soon after obtaining independence, Emperor Agustín de Iturbide of Mexico contacted President Simón Bolívar by informing him of his ascension to the Mexican throne and telling him of his personal admiration for Bolívar after learning about his heroic valor and successful military campaigns.
In 1842, both nations accredited ambassadors to each other's countries. Mexico's ambassador to Venezuela was stationed in Bogotá, Colombia while Venezuela's ambassador to Mexico was stationed in Washington, D.C., United States. In 1916, Mexico sent its first resident ambassador to be based in Caracas; however, diplomatic relations became tense in 1922 since Venezuela had not at that point established a resident ambassador to Mexico. In 1922, Mexico, under protest, closed its embassy in Caracas. In September 1923, Mexico broke diplomatic relations with Venezuela after the country had denied entry of Mexican nationals arriving to the country to partake in cultural activities being held in Venezuela. Diplomatic relations would be re-established ten years later in June 1933.
During the 1940s, diplomatic relations normalized between the two nations and resident ambassadors were appointed to each nations capitals, respectively. In 1946, President Rómulo Betancourt was the first Venezuelan head-of-state to pay an official visit to Mexico. During the 1950s, after the 1948 Venezuelan coup d'état, Venezuela was under the de facto rule of Marcos Pérez Jiménez and members of the deposed government took exile in Mexico including former president and writer, Rómulo Gallegos; secretary of foreign affairs and poet, Andrés Eloy Blanco; and, future founder of the OPEC, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonso.
After the fall of Perez Jimenez, in January 1960, President Adolfo López Mateos was the first Mexican head-of-state to visit Venezuela while on a trip to South America. Since the initial visits, there have been several high level visits between the two nations.
Relations from the 1990s to 2010
In 1995, Mexico and Venezuela, along with Colombia; signed a free trade agreement; however, Venezuela pulled out of the agreement in 2006. Recent involvement in the oil industry by both countries, as well as Mexico joining the North American Free Trade Association in 1994, has led to various disputes between the two nations. During Mexican President Vicente Fox's term from 2000 to 2006; ties between the two countries became critically strained. In November 2005, the cooperation and involvement between President Fox and the United States on the stalled Free Trade Area of the Americas proposal at the Fourth Summit of the Americas brought relations to a low between Mexico and Venezuela.
The late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, stated in a speech on 10 November 2005 to supporters in Caracas that he was saddened that "the President of a people like the Mexicans lets himself become the puppy dog of the empire", as well as appearing on his weekly talk show Aló Presidente three days later, where he stated that the Mexican President was "bleeding from his wounds" and warned President Fox to not "mess" with him, lest Fox "get stung". Mexico's demand of an apology was unanswered by the Venezuelan government, and both countries pulled their respective ambassadors within two days of the talk show statement, starting the 2005 Mexico and Venezuela diplomatic crisis.