Maduro Arrested In Argentina? Understand The Fear Of The President Of Venezuela If He Went To Celac Internacional Estadão

Venezuelan President, Nicholas Madurocanceled his trip to Argentina to attend the summit Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) this Tuesday under the accusation that there was a plan of aggression against his delegation.

Analysts believe the real reason behind Maduro’s travel ban is fear of being arrested and his plane impounded.

But why does Maduro fear jail?

The US has issued an international arrest warrant for the Chavista leader, which is precisely why the President only travels to another country if he is certain that he will not be arrested by the authorities there.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accompanies protesters during a Chavista march against the sanctions imposed on the country in Caracas Photo: Rayner Peña R./EFE 01/23/2023

In addition, the Argentine Congress has an opposition majority, which has increased the chorus for Maduro’s arrest.

“If Maduro does not go to Argentina, it is because he had no guarantee that he would not be captured and sent to the United States. It is also necessary to assess the route that the plane will take to arrive on Argentine territory and whether it will pass through other countries, to have the guarantee of these countries that the plane can pass and will not be forced to land. You have to take all that into account when traveling,” Venezuelan lieutenant José Antonio Colina, who fled Venezuela in 2004 and lives in the United States, told Esstadão.

What are the allegations against Maduro?

In March 2020, the US Department of Justice accused the Venezuelan president of crimes including “drug terrorism”, drug trafficking and carrying weapons, among others, and offered $15 million for his arrest.

When news broke last week that Maduro had been invited to attend the CELAC summit, representatives of Argentina’s opposition began demonstrating against the trip, demanding the Chavista’s arrest for crimes against humanity.

The Venezuelan government’s statement indicates an attempt to tarnish Venezuela’s image. “They intend to put on a pathetic show to disrupt the positive impact of such an important regional gathering, thereby contributing to the discrediting and failed campaign waged against our country by the American empire.”

Nicolás Maduro speaks alongside First Lady Cilia Flores (L) in Caracas Photo: Federico Parra/AFP 01/23/2023

Since then, Maduro who used to travel to Cuba, his political ally or countries in the Caribbean has avoided leaving Venezuela.

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Although Joe Biden’s administration has attempted to restore ties with Venezuela, economic sanctions are still in place against the country, as is the $15 million reward for anyone with information on Maduro.

Could Maduro be arrested in Argentina?

In practice, the demands of Fernández opponents and Venezuelan exiles would hardly be met and would have few concrete consequences. Argentina is a signatory to international treaties such as the Vienna Convention, which guarantees immunity as head of state.

They are accused of “participating in a criminal organization involving a highly violent terrorist organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and attempting to flood the United States with cocaine,” Barr said in a virtual Press conference.

Also, rewards of $10 million were promised in exchange for information “enabling the arrest and/or conviction of others” close to the socialist leader.

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Asked about Maduro’s situation, Lula asked for respect for peoples’ selfdetermination and said that Venezuela’s internal problems had to be solved with “dialogues, not threats of invasion”.

For the political scientist Erik Del Bufalo, professor at the Simón Bolívar University, the rejection is “positive for CELAC”. “No one wants to be portrayed alongside Maduro, not even those who are supposed to be his allies. It is a disaster for Venezuela and now we need to see the impact.”

According to Lieutenant Colina, the Venezuelan government would still have to make the journey on an Argentineflagged plane, rather than a Venezuelan one as is usual. “To get there safely, I would have to travel on an Argentinianflagged aircraft, as I could be stopped in international airspace if I was on a Venezuelanflagged aircraft.”

Another fear Caracas has about traveling on a Venezuelanflagged plane, according to the military, is that the plane would be impounded. “It made everything more difficult and questionable in terms of guarantees for Maduro.”

Analysts believe the real reason for Maduro is to stop traveling Be the fear of the cool siege. exists an international arrest warrant against the Chavista head of state issued by the United States and precisely for this reason, the President only travels to another country if he is certain that he will not be captured by the authorities there. In addition, the Argentine Congress has an opposition majority and this could increase the chorus for Maduro’s arrest.

“If Maduro does not go to Argentina, it is because he had no guarantee that he would not be captured and sent to the United States. It is also necessary to assess the route that the plane will take to arrive on Argentine territory and whether it will pass through other countries, to have the guarantee of these countries that the plane can pass and will not be forced to land. You have to take all that into account when traveling,” he explained Estao Venezuelan Lieutenant José Antonio Colina, who fled Venezuela in 2004 and lives in the United States./ WITH AFP, EFE and FERNANDA SIMAS