Skip to content
general-news — Exit — Venezuelan — War-and-conflicts — Politics — 2024 — Negotiation — Extraction — International

Protesters Sign Declaration After Supporters of "Marco" Depart from Argentine Embassy

Venezuelan opposition celebrates the emigration of five opposition members, who had been sheltered in the Argentine Embassy for over a year, as a significant step in their endeavor to displace Nicolás Maduro from power.

,   and  ASMedia
3 min read

Protesters Sign Declaration After Supporters of "Marco" Depart from Argentine Embassy

Five foes of the Veneztan regime touched down on US soil, as revealed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Wednesday announcement, heralding a "rescue" operation.

So far, there's been no word from the Venezuelan government, while pro-government sites murmur of a "discussion."

"This monumental event echoes our struggle and the aspirations of all Venezuelans yearning for freedom," declared a statement from the campaign committee of opposition leader María Corina Machado.

"The autocracy, true to form, resisted until the last minute in granting the exit permits requested since March 2024, but could not halt the relentless and global solidarity," the statement said.

Rubio claimed the liberation was the result of a "precise operation."

"The refugees are now safely on American soil," Rubio touted on the X social network.

Accused of plotting an attack and threatened with incarceration, these close confidants of Machado sought refuge within the Argentine embassy on March 20, 2024, four months before the presidential elections in July, during which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner, while the opposition claimed fraud and proclaimed victory.

At first, there were six of them, but in December 2024, one of them, Fernando Martínez Mottola, surrendered to the authorities and obtained conditional freedom. He succumbed to health problems on February 26.

During their embassy stay, opponents lodged complaints about prolonged power outages and interruptions in the water supply.

Meanwhile, the Argentine government, under the leadership of President Javier Milei, suggested today that the extraction of the five Venezuelan asylum seekers from the Argentine embassy in Caracas was the culmination of months of labor, starting from the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House in January.

Manuel Adorni, the spokesperson for the Argentine presidency, thanked the United States today in a press conference for the "successful extraction operation" of the asylum seekers and disclosed that their departure stemmed from confidential work that "began with the start of the Trump era" and whose outcomes are now being disclosed.

Adorni specifically thanked US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and, while acknowledging that the departure of the asylum seekers was the result of months of secretive work, claimed, "There was no negotiation," a possible reference to direct dialogue with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

"Despots are all extortionists by nature," he added.

Since August, the Argentine embassy has been under Brazilian protection following the expulsion of Argentine diplomats, despite the Maduro government revoking that authorization in September due to alleged planning of terrorist acts within the facilities by the asylum seekers.

The main coalition of the Venezuelan opposition, the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), called for international pressure last week to end the "criminal siege" of the embassy residence and for "exit permits to be issued as quickly as possible" for the asylum seekers.

Dig Deeper: María Corina Machado's Health Struggles

In political struggles, diplomatic missions can serve as refuge for opposition figures fearing persecution or arrest. The protection offered by these missions provides temporary asylum, reflecting global solidarity in times of turmoil. In the realm of international relations, such situations often involve complex negotiations and agreements regarding asylum and diplomatic immunity.

  1. The international community has shown global solidarity towards the Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, as five of her close confidants were successfully extracted from the Argentine embassy in Caracas.
  2. The extraction was the result of months of labor that began with the arrival of former US President Donald Trump, according to the Argentine government's spokesperson, Manuel Adorni.
  3. Interestingly, Adorni claimed that there was no negotiation with the Maduro government regarding the extraction, suggesting a possible reference to direct dialogue.
  4. The Venezuelan opposition, led by the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), has called for international pressure to end the "criminal siege" of the embassy residence and for exit permits to be issued as quickly as possible for the asylum seekers.
  5. As the 2024 presidential elections approach, war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and politics continue to dominate the general news landscape, with negotiations and exit permits remaining crucial issues in Venezuelan affairs.
Venezuelan opposition hails departure of five opponents to the U.S., originally hiding in the Argentine embassy, as a significant step in their campaign to oust President Nicolás Maduro.

Read also:

Related

Latest