Members of the opposition from Venezuela rescued by the US

Members of Venezuelan opposition, refugees at the Argentine embassy in Caracas for more than a year, are « safely on US soil, » thanks to a « successful rescue, » the US Secretary of State said Wednesday. United.

Threatened in prison, five collaborators close to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado took refuge in the Argentine embassy on March 20, 2024, four months before the presidential elections, in which Nicolás Maduro was declared a winner for a third term.

« The United States greet the successful rescue of all hostages maintained by the (Nicolás) regime mature at the Argentine embassy in Caracas, » Marco Rubio said on social network X, calling members of the opposition « Venezuelan heroes. »

« After a meticulous operation, all hostages are now safe on American soil, » added the head of US diplomacy.

The “illegitimate regime” of Maduro “undermined Venezuela’s institutions, violated human rights and endangered regional security, also accused the official, at a time when Washington and Caracas maintain particularly tense relations.

The US, like the EU and Argentina, do not recognize the victory of Nicolás Maduro, who took office in January.

The Venezuelan opposition has denounced electoral fraud since July 2024, complaining about the victory of candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

The opposition asked the diplomatic community believed in Venezuela to try to find a solution to the situation of five refugees.

Initially, six had sought refuge at the embassy, ​​but in December, one of them, Fernando Martinez Mottola, gave himself to the authorities, and was granted parole. He died on February 26 due to health problems.