BUENOS AIRES.- The government of Javier Milei expressed concern for the safety of the six Venezuelans related to the opposition leader María Corina Machado, who are asylum in the embassy of Argentina in Caracas and asks governments in the region to demand Venezuela comply with the Convention on Diplomatic Asylum and give safe passage “without conditions.”
The official statement is issued after this May 13, the Nicolás Maduro regime denied without explanation the safe passage for the six opponents who have remained at the diplomatic headquarters for 50 days.
The refusal has meant an open breach of the Convention that dates back to 1954 and of which Venezuela is a signatory. A safe conduct means that the asylum seeker can leave the country with guarantees of his or her integrity and that the person’s life or freedom is not in danger.
“Venezuela is not issuing safe conduct, it is not complying with what was agreed or with the Diplomatic Asylum Convention. The entire Machado campaign office is in the official Argentine residence in Caracas, who are politically persecuted (…) they have to leave from Caracas because his physical integrity is in danger,” one told an Argentine media.
Argentina, efforts for integrity of opponents
On March 27, the Argentine government welcomed the opposition leaders “with the support of the inviolability enshrined in the Vienna Convention of which both nations, Argentina and Venezuela, are signatories,” Javier’s Office of the Presidency reported then. Milei.
These are: Pedro Urruchurtu, International coordinator of the campaign command; Magalli Meda, Marina Corina Machado’s campaign manager; Claudia Macero, Campaign Communications Coordinator; Humberto Villalobos, Electoral Coordinator of the Command; Omar Gonzalez, deputy to the National Assembly; and Fernando Martínez Motolla, advisor to the Unitary Platform.
All of them took refuge in the Argentine Embassy, after the Maduro regime began a political persecution, while arresting six other leaders of María Corina Machado’s Vente Venezuela political movement, for alleged conspiracy.
During the opposition’s stay at the diplomatic headquarters, it was subject to electricity and water supply cuts and fears for the physical integrity of the asylum seekers increased.
Venezuela and the Convention
After several conversations with Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, Venezuela reported that it had granted the safe passage and they were only waiting for Argentina to transfer them to Buenos Aires, but after more than a month that did not happen and Maduro, rejecting the efforts, reported that he would not give them. , in the midst of sour relations with the Milei government.
“The Government asked for safe passage many times, and they always respond with evasion. For us it is already clear that the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry rejected the safe conduct that we presented in a timely manner,” said a member of Milei’s cabinet, according to the Argentine publication.
What the Argentine government hopes is that the region demands that Venezuela respect and comply with the Convention. “Venezuela must unconditionally grant safe-conduct permits for the six asylum seekers to leave the residence,” said the source.
Source: With information from Infobae, VOA, Diario Las Américas
