Brazil will continue to represent Argentina’s diplomatic mission in Venezuela

Brazil will continue to represent Argentina in Venezuela, and in particular to manage its embassy where six Venezuelan opposition leaders have been sheltering since March, despite the revocation of the authorization decreed earlier by Caracas, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday. “Brazil will continue to defend Argentine interests until the Argentine government appoints another state acceptable to the Venezuelan government to exercise these functions.”assures the ministry in a press release, emphasizing “the inviolability of the facilities of the Argentine diplomatic mission” in Caracas.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry had earlier announced the decision to revoke the “immediate manner” the authorization given to Brazil to exercise the representation of the interests of Argentina “as well as managing” the diplomatic mission. The text assures that Caracas has “proofs” of “the use of the mission for planning terrorist actions” and assassination attempts on President Nicolas Maduro. Since Friday evening, security force vehicles have surrounded the residence managed and guarded by Brazil, and the Venezuelan opposition denounced on Saturday morning a “seat”.

Venezuela on July 29 severed diplomatic relations with seven Latin American countries that did not recognize Maduro’s contested re-election against opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who claims victory. Among those countries is Argentina, which in March hosted six opposition officials at the embassy residence, including campaign officials, who wanted to escape arrest after being accused of “conspiracy”.

Brazil’s leftist President Inacio Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is trying to mediate the post-election crisis in Venezuela. Much of the international community, including the United States and Europe, does not recognize Nicola Maduro’s victory.