MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina only recognizes Venezuela's National Assembly; bans entry to Maduro regime top officials

Argentina ratifies full recognition of the National Assembly as the only democratically elected branch of government in Venezuela

Argentina announced it does not recognize the legitimacy of the mandate initiated on 10 January by Nicolas Maduro, condemns the breakdown of constitutional order and rule of the law, and ratifies full recognition of the National Assembly as the only democratically elected branch of government in Venezuela.

A release from the Argentine foreign ministry also reports that it has sent a communication to the Venezuelan government suspending the exemption of visas for diplomatic and official passports, and banning the access to Argentina of all high level members of the Venezuelan regime.

Likewise the Argentine Unit of Financial Information will release an alert to the financial and banking sector on the risks of dealings with Venezuelan state owned or controlled companies.

Furthermore Argentina will continue to denounce human rights abuses and condemn the breakdown of the democratic order in Venezuela as it has been doing since president Mauricio Macri has taken office.

Consequently with this stance the Argentine government has requested to the International Criminal Court Prosecution, with other countries, the opening of an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela, as well as promoting the suspension of this country's membership of Mercosur, based on the Ushuaia Protocol on Democratic Commitment.

Likewise Argentina insists in the need to implement the Inter American Democratic Charter in the framework of the Organization of American States.

At bilateral level the Argentina legation in Caracas, since October 2015, only has a Chargé d'affairs, and commercial negotiations as well as political dialogue mechanisms have been suspended.

The Argentine embassy will continue working to render assistance to Argentines residents in Venezuela, defend the interests of Argentine companies and will maintain contacts with the democratic organizations and movements that consult with Argentina.

Finally the release points out to the fact that Argentina, with open arms, has received more than 130,000 Venezuelan migrants and refuges escaping from the political, economic and humanitarian crisis which that country is suffering, and in retribution to the support Venezuela granted to Argentine exiles during the last military dictatorship.