Argentina would not have requested help from Brazil to mediate the release of an agent from the Argentine National Gendarmerie – one of the country’s federal security forces – who Javier Milei’s government claims was arrested in Venezuela, sources in Brasília say.
According to the Argentine government, Corporal Nahuel Agustín Gallo was arrested in an “arbitrary and unjustified” manner by Venezuelan authorities last Sunday (8), after entering the country of Nicolás Maduro through the land border with Colombia.
A high-ranking source in the Milei government said this Friday (13) to CNN that Brazil would be helping to mediate the release of the non-commissioned officer, since since August the Itamaraty assumed the representation of Argentine interests in Venezuela.
Brazilian government sources, however, told the report that they were not aware of any Argentine request to deal with Venezuelan authorities about the sub-officer’s case.
The Brazilian government has represented Argentine interests since August, when Milei’s diplomatic corps was expelled from Caracas by the Maduro government. Brazil assumed custody of the Argentine embassy in Venezuela and the country’s consular affairs.
THE CNN also sought out the Venezuelan government to confirm and comment on the corporal’s arrest and is awaiting feedback.
According to a source from the Argentine Security Ministry, the police officer was accused of espionage by the Venezuelans.
According to the ministry, however, he had gone to Venezuela to visit his girlfriend and son, and that “despite the strictly personal nature” of the visit, he was immediately arrested, “without any legitimate reason and in open violation of the their fundamental rights.”
“The government of the Argentine Republic demands, categorically and immediately, the release of our employee. Argentina will not tolerate acts of this nature against its citizens and deplores this type of practices that violate the essential principles of respect for individual freedom and human dignity”, expresses a statement released by the Milei government.
The Argentine government also stated that it will act “firmly in all instances and in all international organizations to demand the immediate release of the detained non-commissioned officer”.
“Maduro, every minute you detain him will be one more step towards your own end”, wrote the Argentine Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, on the social network X, with the agent’s photo and demanding the immediate release of the non-commissioned officer.
CNN contacted Itamaraty as well as the Argentine government and is awaiting a response.
This content was originally published in Brazil is unaware of Argentine request for help regarding police officer arrested in Venezuela, say sources on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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