Venezuelan police agents have surrounded the Argentine embassy in Caracas, which is under Brazilian protection, where six opponents of Nicolas Maduro have been seeking refuge since March. Pedro Urruchurtu, the international coordinator of Vente Venezuela, a party led by María Corina Machado, the opposition leader who claims victory in the recent presidential elections (which were won by Maduro with strong doubts of fraud), reported that the building is surrounded by agents from various Venezuelan security forces along with hooded and armed individuals. The electricity supply to the residence has been cut off, and only a small emergency power system is currently functioning.
Since August, Brazil has been responsible for the security of the diplomatic offices of Peru and Argentina in Venezuela, as well as representing their interests and citizens in the Caribbean country following the expulsion of some of their embassy staff. Recent news indicates that the Venezuelan government has revoked the authorization for the Argentine embassy in Caracas to be under the custody of Brasilia, as reported by Venezuelan opposition figures and Brazilian diplomats. This decision comes after Caracas expelled diplomatic and consular officials from at least seven countries, including Argentina and Peru, due to their allegations of fraud in the July 28 elections, which saw a controversial victory for the Chavista president.
The Brazilian government had taken over the diplomatic representation of Argentina in Caracas last month after Caracas decided to expel diplomatic staff from several countries, including Argentina, for their election fraud allegations. On August 1, the Brazilian flag was raised at the Argentine embassy in Caracas, signaling Brazil’s willingness to assume the diplomatic and consular representation for Buenos Aires and provide protection for the embassy and its residents, including opposition members seeking refuge. However, the Venezuelan government had already stated back in May that it would not grant safe passage to the six opposition members sheltered in the embassy, which led them to seek asylum in the Argentine diplomatic compound to avoid arrest orders issued by the Venezuelan Attorney General for their ties to opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
The situation at the embassy continues to escalate, with reports of power outages and the presence of multiple Venezuelan security forces surrounding the building where the opposition members are staying. The opposition in Venezuela has been facing increasing pressure and persecution from the Maduro regime, with arrests and crackdowns on dissent becoming more frequent. The revocation of Brazil’s custody over the Argentine embassy adds another layer of complexity to the diplomatic tensions between the countries, further straining relations and emphasizing the challenges faced by opposition figures seeking refuge abroad. The fate of the six opposition members sheltered in the embassy remains uncertain as the standoff between the Venezuelan authorities, Brazilian representatives, and the opposition continues to unfold amidst heightened political tensions in the region.
