MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil representing Argentine interests in Caracas

The fate of the six opposition asylum-seekers is yet to be known when the Argentine Embassy is vacated

Brazil's diplomatic mission in Caracas will be representing Argentina's interests starting Thursday at 9 am local time after the Venezuelan regime of President Nicolás Maduro expelled Buenos Aires' delegation given President Javier Milei's decision not to recognize the results of the elections announced last Sunday whereby the incumbent head of state would have been chosen for the 2025-2031 term.

In the Maduro administration's view, the Libertarian Government's move consisted of unacceptable “interfering actions and statements,” although the National Electoral Council has so far failed to produce the minutes of each polling table to substantiate the announcement that Maduro had won when the opposition insists that Edmundo González Urrutia had received twice as many votes. “Not even Maduro believes the electoral swindle he is celebrating,” Milei argued. The San Martín Palace cautioned Venezuela not to undertake any action endangering its diplomatic personnel.

Argentina's Embassy was surrounded by Venezuelan security forces and left with no electricity. In addition, basic supplies were kept from entering the premises in a move to further pressure for the handover of the six Venezuelan opposition leaders seeking asylum therein since March, all of whom are close collaborators of disenfranchised leader María Corina Machado.

The Argentine team is scheduled to board a flight to Portugal and eventually reach Madrid for the final leg back home. However, the fate of the refugees remains to be announced. Buenos Aires has requested international organizations to get involved in securing safe passages for all of them, which would be the logical steps as per the Caracas Convention on diplomatic relations. Washington has also brokered such a measure.

Brazil's gesture is interpreted as a sign of diplomatic solidarity with Buenos Aires despite the obvious rivalry between Presidents Milei and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.