Brazil Takes Custody Of Argentine Embassy In Venezuela Amid Tensions

Argentinian President Javier Milei has confirmed that, at his invitation, Brazil has taken custody of the Argentine Embassy in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. The highly-unusual move follows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's demand that the diplomatic staff of Argentina (as well as those of Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic) leave the country by 2 August. Milei has called Maduro a 'dictator', and been one of the loudest voices in the region calling the election result from 28 Juyl fraudulent.

• A standoff had presented itself at the Argentinian embassy in recent days as allies of opposition figurehead Maria Corina Machado were on site having first sought political asylum in March.
• The transfer of custody should avoid the situation of the embassy losing its diplomatic status as foreign soil under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
• If Argentina abandoned the embassy without a transfer of custody it could have seen Venezuelan authorities able to enter the grounds.
• The outbreak of apparent friendliness between Argentina and Brazil comes in spite of the ice-cold relations between Milei and his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The leaders have yet to meet in person, and less than a month ago Lula criticised Milei for missing a Mercosur trade summit.
• Milei: "I have no doubt that we will soon reopen our Embassy in a free and democratic Venezuela. The ties of friendship that unite Argentina with Brazil are very strong and historic."