Argentine Foreign Minister thanks Venezuelans who “defended” her embassy in Caracas

Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino thanked Venezuelans who gathered outside the Argentine Embassy in Caracas on Monday after being alerted about an alleged attempt by a group of police officers to take over the diplomatic headquarters.

«We are extremely grateful to all the Venezuelans who came to defend our embassy against the threats of the dictator Maduro.“, wrote Mondino on his profile on the social network X.

The incident referred to by the Argentine diplomat was reported by one of the six opponents of the Venezuelan government who have been sheltering in the official residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas since March 26.

«Urgent. At this moment, DAET (Strategic and Tactical Actions Directorate of the Bolivarian National Police) officers are trying to take over the residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas, where the six asylum seekers from the María Corina Machado and Edmundo González campaign are staying.“, denounced Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli, International Coordinator of the opposition party Vente Venezuela (VV), in X.

Leader Maria Corina Machado also warned about the incident during a press conference and said she had been informed about the presence of “armed hooded men and apparently members of the Bolivarian National Police“, before asking the press and local residents to come to the site to ensure the safety of those sheltered there.

Also staying at the residence are Magalli Meda, who was the campaign manager for the presidential elections; Claudia Macero, VV’s 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.

Urruchurtu Noselli himself provided more information about the incident once it was over and explained that “After two failed attempts, the officials of the regime’s security forces attached to the CPNB and the DAET, hooded and carrying long weapons, withdrew from the residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas..

«This very serious action is in violation of international law and the Caracas Convention on diplomatic asylum. We alert the world against any new attempt to break into this headquarters that has provided us protection by decision of the government of the Argentine Republic, to whom we reaffirm our gratitude for their solidarity in the midst of persecution.“He added, and deeply thanked “the dozens of Venezuelan citizens who quickly came forward” to offer their support.

The six opposition members sought refuge after the Prosecutor’s Office accused them of several crimes, including conspiracy and treason, among others.

According to an agreement signed and ratified by Argentina and Venezuela, “Asylum granted in legations, warships and military camps or aircraft to persons persecuted for political reasons or crimes shall be respected by the territorial State.«.

This occurs hours after the Maduro government demanded that Argentina and six other Latin American countries “immediately withdraw their representatives from Venezuelan territory,” in rejection of their “interventionist actions and statements” regarding the presidential elections.

On Monday, the PUD rejected the announcement by the National Electoral Council (CNE) on the results of the presidential elections held this Sunday, which, according to the electoral body, give a victory to President Nicolás Maduro, over González Urrutia, the standard-bearer of the platform, which declares its candidate the winner.

Chile considers expulsion of its diplomatic staff “shameful”

Chilean Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said on Monday that the Venezuelan government’s decision to expel diplomats from Chile and six other countries in the region is “shameful” and “incomprehensible” and said that the measure “abandons” the more than 700,000 Venezuelans living in Chile.

“The decision (of the Venezuelan government) is worrying for many reasons. It is one more symptom of the delicate situation that is being experienced in that country, especially because it leaves more than 700,000 Venezuelans currently living in Chile abandoned,” said Tohá in a public statement from the presidential palace La Moneda.

Minister Tohá explained that the decision does not imply a complete break in diplomatic relations, but “in practice it means that there are no diplomatic delegations in either country.”