Five members of Venezuela’s political opposition, who had been in hiding for over a year, have successfully evacuated to the United States, as confirmed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. These individuals were previously sheltered at Argentine diplomatic facilities in Caracas.
While Rubio did not elaborate on how the group managed to reach the U.S., he characterized the event as a rescue mission.
The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has yet to comment on the matter.
Rubio stated, “The United States welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentine embassy in Caracas.” He shared this through a post on X.
Authorities in Argentina had permitted the five individuals to seek refuge in the ambassador’s residence following an arrest warrant issued by Maduro’s regime, accusing them of inciting violence and undermining stability as of March 2024.
The group included campaign manager and communications director for opposition figure Maria Corina Machado.
Machado expressed her gratitude on X, calling the operation “a perfect and epic operation for the freedom of the five heroes of Venezuela.”
Since late November, members of the group had reported the constant monitoring by intelligence agents and police outside their shelter. They also accused the government of cutting off essential services like electricity and water, a claim the government denied.
Fernando Martinez, who was protected by the group, had stayed in the compound for nine months. He left in mid-December to appear before prosecutors, according to Venezuelan officials. Sadly, he passed away in February.
Maduro’s administration has routinely targeted those deemed enemies, particularly before last year’s presidential election. The crackdown intensified after the national election council, aligned with Maduro, declared him the victor, despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
The controversial election results triggered widespread protests, which the government responded to violently, resulting in over 20 deaths. This situation further strained diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various countries, including Argentina.
In August, Brazil agreed to Argentina’s request to safeguard Caracas’ diplomatic facilities after Maduro’s government expelled its diplomats, stating it would not recognize “another fraud.”
However, a month later, Venezuela retracted Brazil’s authorization, alleging that the facility was involved in planning terrorist acts and assassination attempts, claims that both Brazil and Argentina have dismissed.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mairay noted that the operation “represents an important step in protecting local freedom.”
