The reason for leaving for Portugal before boarding for Buenos Aires, via Madrid, is the lack of flights and the fact that Venezuela has closed its airspace to flights to and from Argentina.
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The five Argentine diplomats and their families expelled by the Venezuelan President left Caracas on Thursday on flight TAP178 bound for Lisbon, abandoning the Argentine Embassy and the official residence, which are run by Brazil.
“A while ago [às 15h20 locais e 20h20 em Lisboa]The diplomatic staff, military attachés and administrative attaché who worked at the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela left that country together with their families. The departure was ordered by the president [venezuelano], Nicolás Maduro, as a consequence of our country’s rejection of and failure to recognize the fraudulent results of the presidential elections of July 28,” the Argentine Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Ministry hopes that it will soon be able to resume its duties in a free and democratic Venezuela,” it added.
The reason for leaving for Portugal before boarding, on Saturday, for Buenos Aires, via Madrid, is the lack of flights and the fact that the Venezuela closed its airspace to flights to and from ArgentinaArrival in Lisbon was scheduled for 6:45 a.m.
With the departure of the Argentine diplomatic corps from its own Embassy, the Brazil assumed custody of Argentina’s facilities and representation in Venezuelaeven raising the Brazilian flag where the Argentine flag once stood.
Brazil takes over the Argentine embassy in Caracas on Thursday, closed by Maduro
“With the Brazilian flag, Nicolás Maduro will not have the courage to invade the territory to arrest asylum seekers,” a senior source from the Argentine MNE told Lusa.
The main challenge is to guarantee the safety of the six Venezuelans who have been sheltering in the Argentine Embassy since March 20. They are members of the campaign committee of opposition leader María Corina Machado, who is being pursued by Maduro’s police.
On Thursday, for the first time since they were welcomed by Argentina and now under the command of Brazil, the asylum seekers spoke to the press. The spokesperson was Magalli Meda, then campaign manager for María Corina Machado, before the opposition candidate was banned from running.
“Today witnesses are being persecuted. This diplomatic headquarters is part of the campaign command that won the process. Is it democracy or what is it? The masks have fallen,” Meda shouted from the balcony of the official residence to the journalists in the street, thanking “Argentina and Brazil.”
We won, we crushed him. The results are there for all to see. Today the National Electoral Command (CNE), the entity that must give answers to the country, is hiding. What are we talking about? Enough is enough!” he questioned, stating that “the world was able to verify the fraud.”
“The beautiful thing about what happened is that Venezuela won. This is what we are seeing in the streets: people demanding that the truth be respected,” added Magalli Meda, and then concluded: “The entire birth process is complex, but the baby has already been born.”
Argentina, now through Brazil, will continue Insist on the granting of safe conduct.to allow the six asylum seekers to leave the diplomatic premises. If they cannot leave Venezuela, the option would be to find another diplomatic seat to receive them, probably in some country of the European Union.
On Thursday, Argentine President Javier Milei thanked Brazil for its responsibility to represent Argentina. Milei did not mention Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with whom he maintains a position of political tension and criticism.
“I am very grateful for Brazil’s willingness to take custody of the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela. We also appreciate the momentary representation of the interests of Argentina and its citizens,” Milei posted, not missing the opportunity to attack Maduro.
“Today the diplomatic staff had to leave Venezuela in retaliation by dictator Maduro for the condemnation we made of the fraud they committed on Sunday. I have no doubt that we will soon reopen our Embassy in a free and democratic Venezuela.“, said the Argentine president.
Source: Observadora
