On September 6, Venezuela revoked Brazil’s custodianship of the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela and deployed security forces to surround the Argentine diplomatic mission. In response, Argentina issued a statement late on September 6, denouncing Venezuela’s actions as a violation of all international laws.
The Argentine Embassy in Venezuela called on the international community and the people of Venezuela to resist the Venezuelan government’s actions. The embassy emphasized that all Argentinians strongly oppose any form of invasion or intrusion into their diplomatic mission.
According to reports, several Venezuelan opposition leaders have been seeking political asylum at the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela for months. Following Venezuela’s severance of diplomatic ties with Argentina in August, the embassy’s power supply has been completely cut off.
On September 2, the Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office announced that a court had approved an arrest warrant for opposition leader González, accusing him of multiple charges including usurpation of office, forgery of public documents, incitement to illegal acts, and treason.
On July 29, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry announced the recall of diplomats from Argentina, Chile, Peru, and other countries, demanding that their diplomatic personnel withdraw from Venezuela due to these countries’ attempts to reject the results of Venezuela’s elections. The Argentine Embassy in Venezuela was closed as of noon on August 1. Due to Venezuela’s suspension of some international flights in the region, Argentine diplomats must transit through Europe to return to Argentina.
On July 31, the Brazilian government agreed to represent Argentina’s interests in Venezuela during the closure of the Argentine Embassy, following discussions among the Brazilian Foreign Minister, the Argentine Foreign Minister, and the Brazilian Ambassador to Argentina.
In response to the Venezuelan forces surrounding the Argentine Embassy, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry stated early on September 7 that the immediate focus is on ensuring the safety of everyone inside the embassy.
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry affirmed that Brazil will continue to represent Argentina’s interests in Venezuela. If Venezuela wishes to revoke this authorization, it must wait until a replacement country is determined. “In the meantime, we will continue to fulfill the responsibility of representing Argentina’s interests in Venezuela.”