The opposition party claims that hooded men are surrounding the embassy’s official residence, which is under Brazilian custody following the expulsion of the Argentine diplomatic mission by Nicolás Maduro.
(DW) The opposition party Vente Venezuela (VV) denounced that Argentina’s diplomatic headquarters in Caracas has been under “siege” by hooded men since Friday night (06/09). Following the expulsion of the diplomatic mission of Javier Milei’s government, the site is in the custody of Brazil, which is also responsible for six opposition refugees there.
According to the VV, led by María Corina Machado, who was prevented from running in the July presidential elections by the Chavista regime, the tyrant Nicolás Maduro ordered the action.
“Patrols with regime agents continue to arrive at the headquarters of the Argentine embassy in Caracas. We hold Nicolás Maduro responsible for this siege against our leaders in asylum,” he wrote on the X social network.
Earlier, VV’s international coordinator, Pedro Urruchurtu – one of the refugees – said that agents from the Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions (DAET) of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) and the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN), along with “hooded and armed officials”, were surrounding the site.
Former deputy Omar González, also in asylum, denounced the cut-off of the electricity supply to his home, which is now powered by a generator.
In addition to Urruchurtu and González, Magalli Meda, who was campaign manager for the presidential election; Claudia Macero, communications coordinator for the VV; Humberto Villalobos, electoral coordinator for the VV’s Campaign Command; and former minister Fernando Martínez Mottola, advisor to the Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD), the main opposition bloc, are at the embassy.
The six politicians took refuge after the Venezuelan Public Prosecutor’s Office charged them with various crimes, including conspiracy and treason, among others.
At the end of July 2024, this group denounced that regime security officials were outside the site and trying to “take over” the diplomatic headquarters, which they described as a “serious violation of international law”.
Maduro’s retaliation
Since August, Brazil has been in charge of the diplomatic offices of Argentina and Peru in Venezuela, as well as representing their interests and citizens in the Caribbean country, following the expulsion of officials from both legations. Brazil has also taken custody of the six opposition refugees.
In addition to Argentina, Maduro’s government has also demanded that Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay withdraw their representatives “immediately”, in rejection of their “interfering” statements about the July 28 presidential elections, in which the Chavista was proclaimed the winner, which is questioned by a large part of the international community.
The Argentine government has even promised to take the matter to the International Criminal Court to demand the arrest of Maduro and other leaders of the Venezuelan dictatorship for persecuting opponents. Last week, the country’s courts issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González, 75, the candidate who represented the opposition coalition in the election.
Venezuela is currently experiencing an unprecedented scenario of political repression and authoritarianism. So far, the government of the self-proclaimed re-elected president has not presented the records of the elections and has violently stifled anyone who expresses doubts about the process. So far, more than 2,400 people have been arrested since the July 28 elections.