Argentina said Wednesday that the government of President Nicolás Maduro continues to harass six political opponents who have been sheltering in place for months in the Argentine embassy in Caracas, and urged the Organization of American States to fulfill its responsibility and pressure Venezuela to allow the safe exit of those people.
For its part, the United States condemned “in the strongest terms the continued refusal of Nicolás Maduro and his representatives to grant safe passage to refugees” in the Argentine delegation, currently in Brazilian custody.
“The Venezuelan government has not only denied the safe conduct that would allow their safe exit, but has adopted totally unacceptable harassment actions,” said Argentine Foreign Minister Gerardo Werhein.
“Asylees are subject to water cuts, electricity interruption, restrictions on the entry of food and the constant presence of security forces around the diplomatic headquarters,” he added.
Werhein’s statements took place in an extraordinary session of the OAS Permanent Council convened especially to address the situation of asylum seekers in the Argentine embassy in Venezuela, on International Human Rights Day.
Shortly after, the US State Department said in a statement that “the constant harassment endangers the security of the (diplomatic) mission and of people who may be seeking temporary shelter.”
“We urge Maduro and his representatives to stop issuing arrest warrants for political reasons against members of the democratic opposition and to guarantee safe passage for refugees in the Argentine Embassy,” he stated.
Siege of the Argentine embassy in Caracas
At the end of November, the six opponents had denounced that Venezuelan intelligence agents and police They were stationed for several hours outside the Argentine embassy where they are refugees.
The Vente Venezuela party, led by former legislator María Corina Machado and to which the majority of the six opponents sheltered in the Argentine embassy belong, then denounced what it described as “a new siege by hooded officials.”
Eight months ago, in March, opponents Pedro Urruchurtu, Magalli Meda, Claudia Macero, Humberto Villalobos, Omar González and Fernando Martínez Mottola entered the Argentine embassy in Caracas, after the Venezuelan prosecutor’s office ordered their arrest, accusing them of promoting alleged violent acts to destabilize the Maduro government.
Last week in his weekly program on state television, the Minister of Interior Relations of Venezuela, Diosdado Cabello, stated that the complaint of a police siege on the residence of the Argentine ambassador in the Venezuelan capital is a “farce.”
In his program “Con el Mazo Dando”, the minister broadcast a video with alleged photos in which one could read: “delivery of drinking water to the Argentine Embassy.” He did not give other details.
But the Argentine foreign minister harassment was reiterated on Wednesday and said that the practices of the Venezuelan government in the embassy cannot be tolerated because they violate international law that enshrines the right to asylum and the inviolability of diplomatic headquarters in any country in the world. He asked the OAS to act with firmness and determination.
“Accepting this situation would make them complicit in arbitrariness,” Werhein said. “We demand the immediate granting of safe passage so that these people can leave the country safely and without restrictions.”
The diplomat stated that each day that passes “the anguish and uncertainty increases for the asylum seekers. Each day that passes without joint action weakens confidence in the ability of this organization to act as guarantor of fundamental rights and respect for human dignity.”
Brazil agreed to guard the Argentine embassy building in Augustfollowing the decision of the Venezuelan government to expel Argentine diplomatic personnel due to the statements of its president, Javier Milei, that he would not recognize “another fraud” in Venezuela after the controversial elections of July 28.
But a month later, the Maduro government revoked Brazil’s custody authorization, alleging that it had evidence about the use of the facilities “for the planning of terrorist activities and assassination attempts,” which was rejected by the two countries involved.
[Con el reporte de Salomé Ramírez desde Washington. Con información adicional de AP]
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