MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine official wants U-20 Football Championship not played in Venezuela

Bullrich's fears impliciglh admit Maduro's remaining in power after Jan 10

Argentina's Security Minister Patricia Bullrich insisted Wednesday that the upcoming South American U-20 Football Championship scheduled to be played in Venezuela should be held somewhere else given the insecurity the Bolivarian regime of President Nicolás Maduro would represent to the Argentine delegation as well as others, considering last month's arrest of Border Guard (Gendarmería Nacional) First Corporal Nahuel Gallo who was charged with espionage for planning to kill Executive Vice President Delcy Roldríguez.

 Caracas has severed diplomatic ties with many South American countries, such as Argentina, Paraguay, and Peru. In that condition, it does not represent the best option for a continental competition, Buenos Aires argued. Bullrich also argued that if South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) authorities do not change their minds as to the venue, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) should not be sending a team.

“Argentina is not going to send guys where they can be kidnapped. Conmebol will have to think about it or they will have to change the venue,” Bullrich told Venezuelan media. “We are working on a protocol to make it clear which are the places where an Argentine is at risk. We cannot expose our young people in a place where they can be taken hostage,” she added.

Despite Gallo's recognized condition as a law enforcement officer, which the footballers would not share, Bullrich feared the Bolivarian regime could come up with anything and say that we have “sent a policeman disguised as a football player; it is an unacceptable risk.”

The event is scheduled from Jan. 23 to Feb. 16. A Conmebol ruling on the matter is due shortly. The tournament serves as a qualifying round the the World Cup in Chile between Sept. 27 and Oct. 19.
According to AFA and Conmebol sources quoted by Argentine media, Bullrich's remarks have not changed the football governing agencies' stance regarding the five Venezuelan venues for the event: two in Caracas, one in Cabudare, one in Valencia, and the other in Puerto La Cruz.

While Bullrich's warnings seem to have fallen on deaf ears, they also signal that deep down, the Argentine government foresees no change after Friday's inauguration during which both the incumbent Nicolás Maduro and the opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia plan to be sworn in for the 2025-2031 term.