The Government acknowledged the "successful operation" that led to the release of the refugees from the Venezuelan Embassy.
The government on Tuesday acknowledged the "successful operation" that led to the release of the refugees from the Venezuelan Embassy , which allowed the citizens to be "successfully extracted from Caracas and transferred to U.S. soil." The message was released in a statement by the President's Office.
President Javier Milei , the text states, thanked everyone involved in the task, but in particular "the Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio , for his personal commitment to this operation, which has made it possible for these true heroes to finally regain their freedom."
In addition, the national administration highlighted the "profound efforts made to ensure the safety and well-being of those who have long been under Argentine protection from the persecution of the Nicolás Maduro regime."
— Office of the President (@OPRArgentina) May 7, 2025
"This action represents an important step in defense of freedom in the region," the statement adds, referring to the actions that allowed the group of opposition leaders to Nicolás Maduro's regime to be held at the diplomatic headquarters 14 months ago, prior to the controversial presidential elections of July 28.
In the same message, Milei's government warned that it will continue "working hard to secure the release of Argentine gendarme Nahuel Gallo , illegally kidnapped by the Venezuelan dictatorship" since December.
"Your freedom is a priority for this government, and we will not stop until we achieve it," the official statement stated.
The Foreign Ministry also expressed similar sentiment, highlighting Rubio's work and calling for the release of the security force agent detained in Venezuelan territory.
"We will continue working in cooperation with free countries until their release is guaranteed. The Argentine government maintains its unwavering commitment to the defense of human rights, freedom, and international cooperation to strengthen security and stability in our hemisphere," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement.
We thank the U.S. government and Secretary of State @marcorubio for the successful operation that secured the freedom of the Venezuelan asylum seekers at our Embassy in Caracas.
We will continue working tirelessly alongside free countries to ensure immediate... pic.twitter.com/CJgIURqBb0
— Argentine Foreign Ministry 🇦🇷 (@Cancilleria_Ar) May 7, 2025
The asylum seekers were Pedro Urruchurtu , Magallí Meda , Claudia Macero , Humberto Villalobos and Omar González , all collaborators of the opposition leader María Corina Machado.
As Clarín reported, they had entered the residence where they remained until Tuesday, March 20 of last year, after the local Prosecutor's Office announced an arrest warrant against them.
The group was joined by former Minister of Transport and Communications Fernando Martínez Mottola , who remained in custody until December 19, when he appeared before the Prosecutor's Office. Two months later, he died of an intracerebral hemorrhage.
Following Maduro's expulsion of the Argentine diplomatic corps in August 2024, the residence remains under the protection of the Brazilian government.
Clarin
