In a recent announcement, U.
S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the successful rescue of five Venezuelan dissidents who had been confined in the Argentine embassy in Caracas for over a year.
The rescue operation, described as "precise," has brought these individuals safely to U.S. soil, marking a significant victory against the oppressive Maduro regime.
"The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas," Rubio declared, according to Breitbart. He further condemned the Maduro regime for its illegitimate actions, stating, "Maduros illegitimate regime has undermined Venezuelas institutions, violated human rights, and endangered our regional security."
Rubio extended his gratitude to all those involved in the operation, as well as the partners who assisted in securing the safe liberation of these Venezuelan heroes. Although the Secretary did not disclose the specifics of the operation, Argentine outlet Infobae, citing "unobjectionable sources," reported that it was a military operation commanded from the United States. Neither Nicols Maduro, the socialist dictator of Venezuela, nor any member of his regime has commented on the matter.
The rescued dissidents, Pedro Urruchurtu, Magall Meda, Claudia Macero, Humberto Villalobos, and mar Gonzlez, are known associates of Mara Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela's only mainstream center-right party, Vente Venezuela. These individuals sought refuge in the Argentine embassy in March 2024 following the issuance of arrest warrants by Venezuelan authorities. They remained there until the recent rescue operation.
A sixth dissident, Fernando Martnez Mottola, who was also sheltered in the embassy, surrendered to Venezuelan authorities in December and tragically died from a stroke in February. These individuals were among those targeted by Maduro's "Bolivarian Fury," a violent crackdown campaign launched in 2024. Maduro justified this campaign by accusing the targeted individuals of involvement in dubious and unproven assassination plots against him and his authoritarian regime.
This crackdown followed a sanctions relief package that Maduro received from former U.S. President Joe Biden in exchange for vague promises of a "free and fair election." However, no such election took place. Instead, Maduro held a fraudulent election in July 2024, declared himself the winner without providing any corroborating evidence, and intensified his crackdown on dissidents.
The Maduro regime repeatedly denied safe passage to the dissidents, forcing them to remain in the embassy for 14 months. The regime also kept the embassy under siege, cutting off access to running water and power, stealing the building's fuse box, and constantly harassing the dissidents.
Following Maduro's severance of ties with Argentina and other countries that refused to acknowledge his fraudulent election victory, Brazil agreed to take custody of the Argentine embassy and the sheltered dissidents. However, the Maduro regime revoked this permission a month later. Despite this, Brazil vowed to continue protecting the embassy and the Venezuelan dissidents until President Javier Milei's government designated another acceptable country.
President Milei expressed gratitude for the successful rescue operation and the transfer of the dissidents to the United States. He particularly thanked Rubio for his "personal commitment" to the operation, which he said enabled these "true heroes" to regain their freedom.
Milei's statement also expressed deep appreciation for the efforts made to ensure the safety and well-being of those who had been under Argentine protection from Maduro's regime. He described the action as an "important step in defense of freedom in the region" and pledged to continue working with allies to secure the release of Argentine gendarme Nahuel Gallo, who was illegally kidnapped by the Venezuelan dictatorship.
Mara Corina Machado also celebrated the rescue of the five Venezuelan dissidents, describing the operation as "impeccable and epic" on social media. "We will free each of our 900 heroes imprisoned by this tyranny and 30 million Venezuelans! And with Freedom, will come irreversible change to a Venezuela of Prosperity, Justice, and Peace!" she declared.
This rescue operation represents a significant victory against the oppressive Maduro regime and a testament to the commitment of the U.S. and its allies to uphold human rights and freedom. It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for democracy and justice in Venezuela, a struggle that continues to be championed by brave individuals like the rescued dissidents and their allies.
Login