The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) issued a statement this Wednesday reiterating its strong condemnation of the siege y harassment carried out by Venezuelan security forces around the Official Residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas. In said place, where Six Venezuelan citizens remain in asylum since March 27, 2024, Chavismo installed a sniper.
The organization described the situation as a “flagrant violation” of the security and protection guarantees that must be granted to asylum seekersin accordance with the provisions of the 1954 Convention on Diplomatic Asylum and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. According to the statement, the fence includes “the “Intimidating presence of armed personnel, cuts of electricity and running water, as well as interruption of the entry of food and water, represent an imminent danger to the life and integrity of the asylum seekers.”
The OAS stressed the importance of immediately granting safe passage for asylum seekers, as an imperative that Venezuela must comply with. “The refusal to grant these safe passages not only aggravates the situation of the asylum seekers, but also constitutes a violation of the international obligations assumed by Venezuela.”, highlighted the organization.
Furthermore, the General Secretariat denounced that “the deployment of repressive forces with assault weapons around the Argentine Embassy and the general harassment to which the diplomatic headquarters is being subjected reveals the worst aberrations of the regime and violates the fundamental principles of law.” international and human rights. These types of actions, he noted, are a sample of “the worst aberrations of the regime.”
In its message, the OAS made an urgent call to the international community to show solidarity with asylum seekers and demand respect for their rights and guarantees. It also reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of human rights, the inviolability of diplomatic missions and full respect for the right to diplomatic asylum.
The situation at the Argentine Embassy in Caracas has generated concern about stability and security in the region, the organization warned, reiterating that compliance with the essential principles of international law is fundamental for peace in Latin America.
Yesterday, Argentina, the United States, Chile and ten other countries presented a joint declaration at the OAS to demand “the immediate granting” of safe passage for the six opponents asylum in the residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas with the aim that they can leave the country without being detained.
The declaration, which was presented by the representative of Paraguay to the OAS, Raúl Florentín, had the support of the delegations of Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Haiti, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Suriname and Uruguay.
Florentín presented the text of the resolution after the appearance of the Argentine Foreign Minister, Gerardo Werthein, in an extraordinary session of the Permanent Council of the OAS, who asked the organization to carry out action “with firmness and determination.”
“The aforementioned countries declare their willingness to demand that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” he said, reading the statement, “to immediately proceed to grant the necessary safe passages that allow the safe, dignified and unrestricted departure of the six Venezuelan citizens who enjoy diplomatic asylum to a safe territory.”
Likewise, they reaffirmed their commitment to “the guarantee of the inviolability of diplomatic missions” and the “right of diplomatic asylum established in inter-American treaties and the international protection that it confers.”
The Argentine Embassy in Venezuela remains, since last August, under the protection of Brazilafter the expulsion of the Argentine diplomats, even though the Government of Nicolás Maduro revoked this authorization in September due to the alleged planning of terrorist acts inside the headquarters by the asylum seekers.
(With information from EFE)
