CARACAS, Venezuela — The Argentine government on Wednesday accused its Venezuelan counterpart of persistent harassment of six members of the political opposition who’ve been hiding for months in Argentina’s diplomatic center in the capital, Caracas.
She also called on the Organization of American States to place pressure on Venezuela to permit the protected departure of six people to Argentina.
Argentine Foreign Minister Gerardo Werhein said the Venezuelan government was subjecting them to a “strategy of physical exhaustion” and “psychological terror” through prolonged harassment. To avoid arrest, 4 men and two women have been living in the ambassador’s residence since March.
“The Venezuelan government not only denied safe passage that would have enabled their safe departure, but took completely unacceptable harassment actions,” Werhein said during a session of the OAS everlasting council. “Asylum seekers are exposed to water cuts, power outages, restrictions on food imports and the constant presence of security forces near the diplomatic headquarters.”
The group living in the ambassador’s house includes the campaign manager and communications director of the influential opposition, Maria Corina Machado. President Javier Milea’s government allowed them into the compound after authorities loyal to the ruling party issued arrest warrants for them, accusing them of promoting alleged acts of violence geared toward destabilizing the country.
Since late November, the group has condemned the continued presence of Venezuelan intelligence and police agents outside the residence. She also accused the federal government of cutting off electricity and water supplies.
Last week, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called the group’s allegations a “farce.”
However, on Wednesday, Werhein accused the Venezuelan government of violating international law, which guarantees the precise to asylum and the inviolability of diplomatic missions in any country. He called on members of the regional organization to take decisive motion, otherwise they risk being judged for his or her passivity.
As time passes, “the anguish and uncertainty of asylum seekers increases,” he said.
in August Brazil accepted Argentina is asking for defense of a diplomatic facility in Caracas after Maduro’s government expelled its diplomats following Venezuela’s July presidential elections. Disputed voting results that Venezuelan election authorities claimed in Maduro’s favor prompted Milei to declare that he wouldn’t recognize “another fraud.” This drew the ire of Maduro and his allies.
However, a month later, Venezuela withdrew Brazil’s security permit for the power, saying it had evidence that the power was getting used “to plan terrorist activities and assassination attempts.”
Brazil and Argentina rejected the accusations.
The prolonged political crisis in Venezuela deepened after the presidential elections that took place on July 28. The National Electoral Council, which incorporates Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner of the election hours after polls closed. However, unlike in previous presidential elections, electoral authorities didn’t provide an in depth vote count.
Meanwhile, the opposition, led by Machado, collected the outcomes sheets from 80% of the country’s electronic voting machines, posted them online and claimed that voting records showed that the faction’s candidate, Edmundo González, won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro.
On Wednesday, several members of the Organization of American States joined Argentina’s appeal to the Maduro government to permit protected passage for people living in the ambassador’s residence.
“The continued harassment threatens the safety of the mission and those who may be seeking temporary refuge,” U.S. Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said in an announcement after the organization’s meeting. “We call on Maduro and his representatives to stop issuing politically motivated arrest warrants on members of the democratic opposition and to guarantee safe proceedings for those protected in the Argentine embassy.”
