Departure of Venezuelan asylees from the residence of the Embassy of Argentina in Caracas

The Brazilian government learned last night of the departure of the Venezuelan nationals who had been asylees at the residence of the Embassy of Argentina in Caracas since March of last year.

Since August, Brazil had been responsible for the representation of Argentina’s interests in Venezuela and for safeguarding the physical integrity of the asylees. It also carried out daily contacts with the Venezuelan Government so that the basic needs of the asylees would be met. Guided by humanitarian considerations and by international agreements, such as the 1954 Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum, Brazil worked through diplomatic channels to resolve the situation at the residence.

Since April of last year, even before formally assuming the role of representing Argentina’s interests, Brazil made numerous high‑level contacts requesting the safe‑conducts required and offered to transport the asylees by air, in an effort to bring about a diplomatic solution to the crisis. These repeated efforts were not accepted, prolonging the difficult humanitarian conditions at the Argentine residence in Caracas, which had been surrounded by security forces. The announcement of their departure ends this episode and the ordeal experienced by the asylum seekers for more than 400 days.