Venezuelan security forces have surrounded the Argentine embassy in Caracas, which is currently sheltering six Venezuelan political figures opposed to President Nicolás Maduro. Images and videos shared by opposition members reveal a strong presence of intelligence officers around the embassy complex.
Inside the embassy, opposition figures report being under “siege” from Maduro’s regime. Following a breakdown in diplomatic relations over Venezuela’s controversial presidential election results, Argentina’s interests in Venezuela have been represented by Brazil.
On Saturday, the Venezuelan government revoked Brazil’s diplomatic custody of the embassy, seemingly attempting to strip it of its protection. Argentina, along with other nations, has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the presidential election that secured a third term for Maduro. While allies such as Russia and China have acknowledged his victory, calls for the Venezuelan government to release detailed voting data continue.
Opposition voting tallies claim that the candidate Edmundo González emerged victorious, yet Western countries have refrained from recognizing him as the president-elect. Recent Venezuelan government actions followed statements from the Argentine foreign ministry about seeking arrest warrants against Maduro and other senior officials.
Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli, an advisor to opposition leader María Corina Machado, reported an increased presence of unidentified officials around the embassy since Saturday morning. He noted restrictions on vehicular traffic and ongoing power outages. Another opposition figure, Omar Gonzalez Moreno, confirmed that the embassy has been deprived of electricity since Friday evening, describing the situation as a continued threat to the Argentine diplomatic mission.
The Venezuelan government claims its measures are necessary due to purported evidence linking the embassy to terrorist activities and assassination plots against Maduro and his deputy. Brazil has issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to represent Argentine interests in Venezuela until a new government is appointed to assume this responsibility, highlighting the inviolability of the Argentine diplomatic mission.
The Argentine foreign affairs ministry has condemned any efforts to interfere with or abduct those seeking asylum in its official residences, stressing that incidents like these further demonstrate the disregard for fundamental human rights in Venezuela under Maduro’s rule.
