Venezuelan Opposition Leaders Plead for Global Support Amid Maduro’s Clampdown

Venezuelan opposition figures at the Argentine embassy in Caracas seek global assistance amid persecution by Maduro’s government. After nearly nine months of refuge, they urgently request safe-conduct passes to leave Venezuela, facing shortages of essential resources and constant surveillance. Their situation is exacerbated by rising tensions between Venezuela and Argentina.

In a recent press conference conducted via video link from the Argentine embassy in Caracas, six Venezuelan opposition members, including associates of political leader María Corina Machado, expressed their plight stemming from an ongoing siege by Nicolás Maduro’s government. They disclosed their dire need for safe-conduct passes, facilitating their exit from Venezuela, which they have categorized as politically hostile. With nearly nine months of confinement, the group has endured power outages, relying solely on a generator for essential needs, and has increasingly faced harassment from police and regime agents around the embassy.

The situation for the Venezuelan opposition has dramatically worsened since María Corina Machado’s associates sought refuge in the Argentine embassy nine months ago, following arrest warrants for alleged conspiracy. The group has worked on an electoral campaign against the Maduro regime, which has accused them of attempting to undermine its authority. Amid deteriorating relations between Venezuela and Argentina, the added protection from Brazil has become paramount after the embassies experienced rising tensions following election disputes that called Maduro’s victory into question.

The Venezuelan opposition’s calls for urgent international intervention highlight the precarious conditions faced by political dissidents under Maduro’s regime. The siege of the Argentine embassy not only underscores the lengths to which the government will go to silence its critics but also raises critical questions about diplomatic safety and human rights. The situation demands a coordinated global response to protect those fighting for democratic values in Venezuela.

Original Source: english.elpais.com