Venezuela declares Brazilian, Canadian diplomats "persona non grata"

CARACAS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Saturday declared Brazil's Ambassador Ruy Pereira and a counsellor at Canada's embassy as "persona non grata."

ANC President Delcy Rodriguez said Canadian Craig Kowalik was designated an unwelcome foreign visitor due to his "constant, insistent and rude meddling in Venezuela's internal affairs."

Both men "have been making declarations, using Twitter in an attempt to give Venezuela orders," said Rodriguez, who formerly served as foreign affairs minister.

In October, Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Ministry lodged a protest with the Canadian government, after Kowalik criticized the country's regional elections.