World News | Venezuela Denies That Opposition Members Left Country Under International Rescue Operation
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Venezuela's government has acknowledged for the first time that members of the country's opposition left the Argentine diplomatic compound where they had sheltered for over a year, but it denied that their arrival to the United States occurred under an international rescue operation as characterized by the political faction and the US State Department.
Caracas (Venezuela), May 8 (AP) Venezuela's government has acknowledged for the first time that members of the country's opposition left the Argentine diplomatic compound where they had sheltered for over a year, but it denied that their arrival to the United States occurred under an international rescue operation as characterized by the political faction and the US State Department.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on Wednesday that the group's movements were negotiated with the government and further alleged that one of the six people who entered the Argentine ambassador's residence in March left the compound in August, contradicting earlier statements from the opposition.
Cabello's statements came more than 24 hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on social media that the opposition members were on US soil after a "successful rescue".
The government of Argentine President Javier Milei allowed the six people into the ambassador's residence when authorities loyal to Venezuela's ruling party issued warrants for their arrest, accusing them of promoting acts of violence to destabilise the country. The group included the campaign manager and communications director of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as well as Fernando Martinez, a cabinet minister in the 1990s.
Also Read | Top 5 Fighter Jets in the World That Redefine Air Superiority.
Martinez abandoned the compound in mid-December and, according to Venezuelan authorities, appeared before prosecutors. He died in February.
After Rubio's announcement Tuesday, Machado thanked people involved in what she called an "impeccable and epic operation for the Freedom of five heroes of Venezuela". But Cabello alleged that only four people remained at the embassy after Martinez's departure.
Since late November, the group had denounced the constant presence of intelligence service agents and police outside the residence. It had also accused the government of cutting electricity and water services to the compound. The government had denied the allegations. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)