Argentina denounces that “armed troops” harass the embassy in Venezuela, which shelters opponents

The Argentine Foreign Ministry reported that there are armed men harassing and intimidating its embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, where 6 opponents of the Nicolás Maduro regime are currently taking refuge.

Through the social network Pedro Urruchurtu, International coordinator of Vente Venezuela (VV) – party led by María Corina Machado-
and who is one of the six opposition refugees, indicated that “hooded” agents with “long weapons” of the Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions (DAET) of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) “surround the diplomatic headquarters and block street access.”

‼️ The siege situation continues at 8:40 PM on November 23, at the residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas, protected by Brazil. The hooded officials, the drones, and the cell phone signal are blocked. pic.twitter.com/dyVmfeSgL0

— Peter Urruchurtu Noselli (@Urruchurtu) November 24, 2024

For his part, the candidate of the largest opposition coalition -exiled in Spain-, Edmundo González Urrutia, warned in while VV stated that he holds “the regime responsible for anything that happens,” in reference to the Government of Nicolás Maduro.

(Also read: María Corina Machado speaks after the Venezuelan Prosecutor’s Office announced an investigation against her)

This is the third “siege” reported by Urruchurtu on the outskirts of the residence of Argentina, whose protection was assumed in August by Brazil after the expulsion of Argentine diplomats from Venezuela that same month.

However, In September, the Government of Venezuela revoked this authorization due to the alleged planning of terrorist acts inside the headquarters by asylum-seekers. who took refuge after the Prosecutor’s Office accused them of various crimes, such as conspiracy and treason.

After the measurement, The Brazilian Foreign Ministry indicated that “it will remain with the custody and defense of the interests” of Argentina until the southern country “designates another acceptable State” for the Maduro Executive.in order to carry out those functions.

In addition to Urruchurtu, there is also Magalli Meda, who was the campaign manager for the presidential elections; Claudia Macero, VV Communications Coordinator; Omar González, former deputy; Humberto Villalobos, electoral coordinator of the VV Campaign Command, and former minister Fernando Martínez Mottola, advisor to the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), the main opposition bloc.

Meanwhile, Argentina, through its Foreign Ministry, said that it condemned “the acts of harassment and intimidation against asylum seekers in the Argentine Embassy in Caracas, currently under the diplomatic protection of the Brazilian government.”

“The deployment of armed troops, the closure of streets around our Embassy and other maneuvers constitute a disturbance of security that must be guaranteed to diplomatic headquarters in accordance with international law, as well as to those who have requested diplomatic asylum,” he said in his statement, in which he made “a call to the international community to condemn these practices and demand the necessary safe conduct to allow asylum seekers to leave the country.”

Likewise, he thanked “the government of Brazil for representing Argentine interests in Venezuela, assuming the protection of diplomatic premises, and for its efforts to guarantee the safety of asylum seekers against harassment by the Venezuelan regime.”

(Also read: That the US recognizes Edmundo González as president of Venezuela is “ridiculous”: Chavismo)