Opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia appeared on the balcony of the Casa Rosada with the Argentine president, Javier Milei, after the meeting they had this Saturday (4). Both were applauded by thousands of protesters who took over Praça de Mayo from the early hours of the morning.
“President, president” and “freedom” were some of the shouts heard in the square by those who consider González Urrutia the winner of the elections held in Venezuela on July 28 last year. Shouts of “thank you, Milei” were also heard. Argentina was the first stop on Gonzalez’s trip, who will also visit Uruguay, Panama and the Dominican Republic until January 10, when he says he will take office as president of Venezuela.
In addition to the two, the Argentine Foreign Minister, Gerardo Werthein, the general secretary of the Presidency and President Milei’s sister, Karina, and the wife of the Venezuelan opposition leader, Mercedes, who always accompanies him at political events, also appeared on the balcony of Casa Rosada, seat of the Argentine government.
Shortly before, González Urrutia released a video message in which he expressed his commitment to political prisoners, who number 1,794 according to the NGO Foro Penal, and to oppositionists seeking asylum at the Argentine embassy in Caracas, held by Brazil due to the decision of Maduro to expel Argentine diplomats.
“We send a cordial and affectionate greeting, especially to all political prisoners and asylum seekers at the Argentine embassy in Caracas. This is and will be our concern in all the meetings we will hold”, said the representative of the majority opposition, grouped in the Democratic Unitary Platform ( PUD), through social networks.
The election results released by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which awarded Maduro victory, were questioned by the main anti-Chavista coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), and by a large part of the international community.
Venezuelans take over Plaza de Mayo since dawn
The emblematic Plaza de Mayo, in Buenos Aires, was filled with Venezuelan flags and thousands of protesters dedicated to the fight against the opposition with caps, posters and t-shirts dyed in the colors of their country.
Protesters began arriving at the square this morning and cheered the two presidents who oppose the Maduro regime. To date, the government has not delivered detailed electoral data from the July elections and, despite this, intends to start a new term on January 10 with the support of the Bolivarian National Armed Force.
Argentina was the first stop
Argentina was the first stop on Gonzalez’s international trip. “It is the first country that González Urrutia visits in Latin America on his international trip before January 10. It is no coincidence: Argentina has demonstrated its commitment to freedom, democracy and human rights”, declared, Elisa Trotta, secretary -general of the Argentine Forum for the Defense of Democracy to EFE Agency.
The Milei government was one of the first to consider González Urrutia the winner of the July elections, in August last year, and even publicly described him as “president-elect”.
The Venezuelan opposition leader’s visit to Argentina comes amid growing tension between the governments of Milei and Maduro, one of the causes of which is the arrest of Argentine soldier Nahuel Gallo in Venezuela on December 8.
Argentina filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the soldier’s arrest, while the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) adopted precautionary measures, considering that Gallo “is in a serious and urgent situation, as his rights to life and personal integrity are at risk of suffering irreparable damage in Venezuela”.
There are around 200,000 Venezuelans living in Argentina, of which only 2,600 were eligible to participate in last year’s July elections – 94% of whom voted for González Urrutia.