Argentina demands action over Venezuela’s ‘unjustified’ detentions

Argentina’s government has accused the Venezuelan authorities of seizing one of its security officers, slamming the move as an “arbitrary” and “unjustified” violation of its citizen’s human rights.

The remarks respond to the seizure of Gendarmerie (Border Guard) first corporal Nahuel Agustín Gallo, and a local employee from Argentina’s Embassy in Caracas, where six individuals linked to Venezuela’s political opposition have been sheltering since March, seeking asylum from alleged persecution by Nicolás Maduro’s administration. 

The situation has also reignited concerns over human rights abuses in Venezuela, with international calls for accountability and the immediate release of those detained.

Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich issued a joint statement condemning the two detentions, with President Javier Milei amplifying the message via his social media channels. 

In the statement, the government demanded the immediate release of both individuals, highlighting the breach of international laws protecting diplomatic personnel and premises.

Gallo, originally from Catamarca in Argentina’s north, was apprehended last week at a land border crossing between Colombia and Venezuela while travelling to visit his wife and two-year-old son in Táchira. 

Venezuelan counterintelligence agents have accused the corporal of espionage, a grave charge under the Maduro regime. 

Gallo’s family has vehemently denied the allegations against him, stating that he was on personal leave and has no involvement in intelligence activities.

Gallo’s wife, María Gómez, revealed that Venezuelan authorities had detained her husband after searching his phone and finding messages that were critical of the Maduro administration. 

“I sent him texts during the last election saying, ‘This country is falling apart’ and calling the government a ‘dictatorship.’ They used those against him,” Gómez explained in interviews with Argentine media outlets. 

She described the ordeal as a “nightmare,” recounting how her husband was not even allowed to make a phone call before being taken from Táchira to Caracas.

The detained corporal’s sister, Daiana Gallo, questioned the Maduro administration’s version of events, stating that the trip had been planned in advance and followed all legal procedures. 

“If he were an actual spy, would he have crossed a border openly?” she asked.

The Border Guard officer’s family remains distraught. They have no clear information on his whereabouts. 

Bullrich confirmed over the weekend that Gallo is being held at an intelligence base in Táchira. She described the officer’s detention a “blatantly illegal kidnapping,” adding that it highlighted the lack of human rights and freedom in Venezuela. 

Argentina’s Security Ministry said it had filed a criminal complaint against Venezuela for what it described as the abduction of an Argentine citizen.

In parallel, Werthein has raised the issue with the Organisation of American States, which has already called on Maduro’s government to grant safe passage to the six Venezuelan opposition members who are sheltering at Argentina’s Embassy in Caracas. 

The group includes Magalli Meda, the campaign manager for opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was banned from running in this year’s election.

The incident has exacerbated already fraught relations between Argentina and Venezuela, which have deteriorated since Milei and Maduro severed ties over allegations of electoral fraud in the Venezuelan leader’s re-election.

The Gallo case, coupled with the detention of the local Embassy employee, has sparked renewed outrage in Buenos Aires. 

Meanwhile, the six opposition figures hiding at Argentina’s Embassy in Caracas have criticised Venezuela’s security forces for escalating tensions, complaining that camouflaged snipers, “equipped with telescopic sights and laser pointers,” have been deployed in the vicinity of the building.

“We are suffering public and notorious harassment,” Meda stated in a video posted on social media. “This embassy has become a tool for coercion. Armed men frequently appear at night, causing noise and intimidation. It’s psychological harassment.”

Omar González, another of the group, criticised the withdrawal of maintenance workers after Venezuela severed diplomatic ties with Argentina. “Now, no-one can enter without Maduro's authorisation — not even maintenance staff. We are entirely on our own,” he said.

The asylum seekers went on to praise Argentina’s efforts to protect them, with political scientist Pedro Urruchurtu expressing gratitude: “Javier Milei has consistently sent us messages of support. We are deeply thankful for Argentina’s actions.”

– TIMES/AFP/NA