Maduro revokes Argentina’s representation in Brazil // Refugees denounce embassy siege

Reuters, AP, AFP and Europa Press

The newspaper La Jornada
Sunday, September 8, 2024, p. 21

Caracas. Former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González has traveled to Spain as a political asylum seeker, the South American country’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced last night.

Today (yesterday), opposition citizen Edmundo González Urrutia left the country. Having voluntarily taken refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas for several days, he requested political asylum from that government (…) Venezuela has granted the necessary safe-conduct passes for the sake of the country’s tranquility and political peace.Rodríguez wrote on his Instagram account. The message was later read on state television.

González, 75, left on a Spanish Air Force plane, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation reported, which arranged the diplomatic and material means for its transfer.

In the morning, the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, stated that I would not give up to the politician Edmundo González Urrutia, whom he described as heroin a speech at an event of his political party.

At the time of going to press, there were no statements from the Venezuelan opposition.

González was facing a criminal investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, in which he is accused of several crimes, including incitement to disobedience and conspiracy, related to the protests on election day and the publication of voting records that allegedly show that Nicolás Maduro lost the election.

A few days ago, the Prosecutor’s Office ordered his arrest after he failed to appear for his statement three times.

González ran for office as a candidate for a coalition of parties after opposition leader Corina Machado was disqualified by authorities.

The government of Nicolás Maduro yesterday morning revoked Brazil’s authorization to represent Argentina’s interests in Venezuelan territory and to guard the embassy of Javier Milei’s government in Caracas, where six opponents are seeking asylum.

“Venezuela is forced to make this decision motivated by the evidence in our possession regarding the use of the facilities of this diplomatic mission (Argentine) for the planning of ‘terrorist’ activities and assassination attempts” against President Nicolás Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, by those who are considered fugitives from justice, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Meanwhile, Brazilian diplomacy assured that it will continue to represent the Argentine government in Venezuela and will continue to guard the diplomatic headquarters and recalled the inviolability of diplomatic premises.

Buenos Aires rejected the unilateral decision of the Maduro government and warned that it must respect the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which enshrines the inviolability of mission premises,” in a statement released on X.

The opposition denounced siege outside the embassy: The siege of the Argentine residence in Caracas, protected by Brazil, continues. The presence of hooded officials is increasing. They have closed the road to vehicles. We are still without electricity.published in X Pedro Urruchurtu, one of the Venezuelan opponents who took refuge in the Argentine embassy.

Given this situation, the Chilean Foreign Ministry expressed its We reject the Maduro decision and express our solidarity with the governments of Argentina and Brazil..

Uruguay considered that the This situation constitutes a violation of international regulations and a new violation of the rights of Venezuelan citizens seeking asylum in the facilities of the Argentine diplomatic representation..

The head of the US diplomatic mission in Venezuela, Francisco Palmieri, announced that his country is preparing new sanctions.

For the serious human rights violations in Venezuela, for each of the responsible officials, we are going to sanction more, much more than the 15 people mentioned in a press article.Palmieri told the Efecto Cocuyo portal.

Uruguay considered that the This situation constitutes a violation of international regulations and a new violation of the rights of Venezuelan citizens seeking asylum in the facilities of the Argentine diplomatic representation.Panama, Paraguay and Costa Rica join in the condemnation.