Spanish opposition Partido Popular (PP) is to request the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to take concrete action and make a formal protest to Venezuela due to squatting presumably by followers of President Hugo Chávez in lands property of Spanish citizens.

"This is a true personal ordeal experienced by Spanish," who face squatting in their lands by armed people. Neither the Venezuelan nor the Spanish government take action, PP speaker at the Senate Committee of Spanish-American Affairs Dionisio García Carnero complained during a press conference.

So far, the Spanish Government has denied squatting. However, "the primary obligation of any government is to defend its citizens' interests," the official added.
 
He complained about "passiveness and indolence" of the Venezuelan government.