Venezuela revokes Brazil's representation at the Argentine Embassy

On September 7, the Venezuelan government announced its decision to "immediately" revoke Brazil's right to represent the interests of the Argentine nation and Argentine citizens on Venezuelan territory.

On his social media account, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil posted the above announcement, emphasizing that Venezuela "was forced to make this decision based on evidence related to the fact that the facilities of the Argentine Embassy were being used to plan terrorist attacks."

Foreign Minister Gil denounced at the headquarters of the aforementioned diplomatic agency, “an assassination plot against Constitutional President Nicolas Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is being planned.”

These operations were being carried out by “those who are fugitives from Venezuelan justice,” Gil said, referring to six opposition members holed up in the Argentine embassy.

The Venezuelan government affirmed that the decision to revoke Brazil's representation at the Argentine Embassy "is consistent with and fully complies with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963."

Foreign Minister Gil's statement came hours after the opposition said a large number of Venezuelan police surrounded the Argentine Embassy, ​​which is currently managed by the Brazilian government.

Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with Argentina and expelled all Argentine diplomatic staff at the end of July after the Argentine government refused to recognize the results of Venezuela's presidential election, which was won by incumbent President Nicolas Maduro.

Responding to the new move by the Caracas government, on the same day, September 7, the Argentine government issued a statement rejecting Venezuela's decision to immediately revoke the Brazilian government's permission to represent the interests of the Argentine nation and its citizens on Venezuelan territory.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry's statement said this was a "unilateral" decision by the Venezuelan government and urged Caracas to respect the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates the inviolability of diplomatic missions.

The ministry reaffirmed its recognition of Brazil as representing Argentina's interests in Venezuela and thanked Brazil for its "commitment and responsibility in ensuring the management of Argentine assets in Venezuela."

For its part, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said it was "surprised" by the Venezuelan government's decision.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry stressed that the Argentine Embassy premises, which it is protecting on its behalf, are "inviolable" and that Brasilia "will continue to look after and guarantee Argentina's interests" until the Argentine government designates another state to take over its representative office.

Brazil has taken over the headquarters of the Argentine and Peruvian embassies in Venezuela as well as representatives of the national interests and citizens of these two countries since early August after the government of President Nicolas Maduro expelled all diplomatic staff of seven Latin American countries, including Argentina and Peru, because the governments of these countries did not recognize the results of the presidential election held on July 28, in which Mr. Maduro won.

The Uruguayan government also expressed concern about Venezuela's announcement to revoke Brazil's representation rights at the Argentine Embassy in Caracas.

The Uruguayan Foreign Ministry expressed “hope that the current situation will be resolved in accordance with international law and the tradition of peaceful coexistence among Latin American countries.”