MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian FM asks Venezuelan colleague to let refugees go to Argentina

Vieira and Gil met in New York during the United Nations General Assembly

Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira asked his Venezuelan counterpart Yván Gil for a safe-conduct for the six opposition leaders staying at the premises of what used to be Argentina's Embassy in Caracas but has been left up to Itamaraty after the expulsion of Buenos Aires' mission.

Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli, Humberto Villalobos, Claudia Macero, Omar González, Fernando Martínez, and Mottola Magalí Meda have remained there since March 20 after an arrest warrant was issued against them, waiting for a safe passage to the airport to travel to Argentina, where they have already been granted asylum by President Javier Milei's Libertarian administration. They are all close collaborators of opposition leader María Corina Machado.

According to CNN Brazil, Vieira made the request during a meeting in New York in the framework of the United Nations General Assembly. Gil replied that he would convey the request to President Nicolás Maduro.

Venezuelan authorities have been guarding the diplomatic mission and curring the electricity supply to the premises. Although Caracas said it no longer recognized Brazil's right to represent Argentina's interests in the country, Itamaraty insisted it would only leave once another country is appointed to perform this function per international law.

“I am very grateful for Brazil's willingness to take over the custody of the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela. We are also grateful for the momentary representation of the interests of the Argentine Republic and its citizens there,” Milei wrote on X back then.

Maduro has expelled the diplomatic missions of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay for not recognizing his victory in the July 28 elections amid fraud denunciations.