(Caracas) The Venezuelan prosecutor’s office is demanding the arrest of Argentine President Javier Milei in connection with the case of the Venezuelan plane seized in June 2022 in Buenos Aires and sent to the United States, Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced on Wednesday.
“Aggravated theft, money laundering, unlawful deprivation of liberty […] decommissioning of an aircraft, criminal association […] The Venezuelan Public Prosecutor’s Office […] “We are currently processing arrest warrants against the following citizens: Javier Milei, President of Argentina, Karina Milei, Secretary General of the Argentine Presidency, and Patricia Bullrich, Minister of Security of Argentina,” Saab announced.
The imbroglio between the two countries dates back to June 8, 2022, when the Argentine justice system immobilized a Venezuelan cargo plane on its soil.
The 19 crew members were detained and later released. Among them were four Iranians, one of whom was, according to Washington, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, an organization classified as a terrorist organization by the United States.
The United States then requested the seizure of the aircraft, arguing that it had been sold in October 2021 to Emtrasur, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, by the Iranian company Mahan Air, in violation of American sanctions.
Argentina handed the plane over to the United States in February under new President Javier Milei.
In a statement released Wednesday evening (local time) by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it said the country had “repudiated the arrest warrants,” emphasizing the separation of powers in force in Argentina, “which is unfortunately not the case in Venezuela under the regime of Nicolas Maduro.”
“Universal competence”
Mr. Saab also called for the appointment of a “specialized prosecutor” to “investigate the serious human rights violations committed by agents of the Argentine state” on Venezuelan soil, referring to “genocide” and “policies of repression against social protests and the elderly.”
“A State can exercise universal jurisdiction,” he said, promising that Mr Milei and Mrme Bullrich “will be brought to justice.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been investigating for several years alleged crimes against humanity committed by the government in Venezuela in 2017 during opposition protests. Some 200 people were killed.
Diametrically opposed ideologically, the two Venezuelan presidents Nicolas Maduro and Argentine Javier Milei regularly criticize and even insult each other from a distance.
In March, Argentina hosted six Venezuelan opposition leaders at the embassy residence, including campaign officials accused of “conspiracy” who wanted to escape arrest.
Venezuela on July 29 broke off diplomatic relations with seven Latin American countries, including Argentina, which did not recognize Mr. Maduro’s contested re-election in the face of the opposition, which claims victory.
Brazil had taken over the management of Argentine diplomatic missions, but Caracas revoked the authorization given to Brazil, creating new tensions.