Venezuela's Public Prosecutor's Office Monday requested the arrest of another 16 Argentines in connection with the Emtrasur Boeing 747-300 freighter airplane seized in Buenos Aires and handed over to the United States during the government of Alberto Fernández for its alleged involvement in logistics support to Iran-backed terrorist activities.
The Criminal Chamber of Venezuela's Supreme Court (TSJ) Monday gave its nod to the prosecution of Argentine President Javier Milei, Presidential Secretary Karina Milei, and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich in connection with the impounding and handing over of Emtrasur's Boeing 747-300 freighter handed over to the United States where the aircraft was wanted for its alleged involvements in terrorist activities under its previous Iranian ownership.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has agreed to review Venezuela's complaint against Argentina for seizing the Boeing 747-300 freighter belonging to Conviasa's cargo subsidiary Emtrasur and later handing it over to US authorities for scrapping. The aircraft was wanted by Washington because it had belonged to Iran's carrier Mahan Air and was said to be involved in logistics operations assisting terrorist attacks.
Venezuela has announced the closure of its airspace to aircraft originating from or bound for Argentina, following the seizure of a cargo plane that was subsequently handed over to U.S. authorities. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil declared, “Venezuela exercises full sovereignty in its airspace,” vowing that “no aircraft” from Argentina will be permitted to fly over Venezuelan territory until compensation is provided for damages caused by the seizure.
According to aviation website reports, last week's G20 foreign ministers' summit in Rio de Janeiro came incredibly close to repeating the case of the Venezuelan-flagged Boeing 747-300 freighter sold by Iran's Mahan Air to Conviasa's cargo subsidiary Emtrasur, which was seized in Buenos Aires for about a year before being handed over to US authorities earlier this month.
The Venezuelan-flagged Boeing 747-300 freighter aircraft registration YV3531 of the company Empresa de Transporte Aerocargo del Sur (Emtrasur), a subsidiary of Conviasa, has left after 20 months the Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza, Argentina, for the United States.
Lomas de Zamora Federal Judge Federico Villena, who has jurisdiction over Buenos Aires' international Ezeiza Airport, Wednesday acquiesced to a request from the United States and ordered the Boeing 747-300 freighter aircraft belonging to Venezuelan carrier Empresa de Transporte de Aerocargo del Sur (Emtrasur), after obtaining it from Iran's Mahan Air handed over to Washington.
A District of Columbia Court Tuesday filed a request before Argentine authorities to confiscate the Venezuelan-Iranian Boeing 747-300 freighter aircraft grounded at Buenos Aires' Ezeiza international airport, it was reported.
Argentine Federal Judge Federico Villena Friday ruled in favor of acquitting the remaining five crewmembers of the Venezuelan-Iranian Boeing 747-300 seized at the Ezeiza International Airport citing a lack of evidence to prosecute them for financing terrorist activities.
A federal judge in Argentina has dismissed all charges against 14 of the 19 crew members of the Emtrasur Boeing 747-300 freighter aircraft seized at Buenos Aires Ezeiza international airport. They were all given their passports back and cleared to leave the country at will.