The information was confirmed to Lusa by sources from the Argentine Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires and celebrated in Caracas by the opposition leader, María Corina Machado.
"We thank the Government of Brazil for its willingness to assume the diplomatic and consular representation of the Argentine Republic in Venezuela and the protection of its headquarters and residence, as well as the physical integrity of our comrades who have taken refuge in that residence. This could contribute to advancing a constructive and effective negotiation process like the one that Brazil supported", posted Maria Corina Machado on social media.
The responsibility that Brazil assumes at the request of the Argentine President, Javier Milei, aims to guarantee the rights of Argentine citizens and Argentine-capital companies in Venezuelan territory, protect the six Venezuelans who have taken refuge in the Argentine diplomatic residence and mediate between Venezuela and Argentina, which were left without a direct channel of dialogue after the Maduro regime expelled the Argentine diplomats from the country.
Brazil's custody of the political asylum seekers is expected to be provisional until a third country agrees to receive these members of María Corina Machado's team who have been refugees at the Argentine Embassy since March 20.
On Monday (29), the Maduro regime issued an ultimatum for all Argentine diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours, but did not allow the Venezuelan refugees to leave together with the expelled diplomats.
"Given the total lack of guarantees, without protection of the freedom or physical integrity of our asylum seekers, the Argentine Republic warns about the consequences of this situation. I appeal to the solidarity of all countries to collaborate with diplomatic efforts and the protection of asylum seekers. Argentina calls on the international community to strive to comply with international standards governing diplomatic relations between States," said Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino on Wednesday night in a speech at an emergency session of the Organization of American States (OAS), where the situation in Venezuela was discussed.
As long as Venezuelan asylum seekers continue to be without safe conduct, Brazil will be able to raise a Brazilian flag at the Argentine Embassy, giving it diplomatic status, despite the absence of Argentine diplomats.
This is not the first time that Brazil has represented Argentina's diplomatic interests. In 1982, when Argentina and England broke off relations in the context of the Falklands War, Brazil took over Argentina's representation in London, creating the Argentine Interests Section at the Brazilian Embassy, where an Argentine diplomat served its citizens.
Despite Argentina's request, President Javier Milei criticized the presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico for not condemning the Nicolás Maduro regime at the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) meeting this Wednesday (31) in Washington.
Maduro claimed victory in last Sunday's presidential elections, after a vote contested by the opposition, which accuses the regime of fraud.
A resolution condemning the alleged electoral fraud failed to pass at the OAS session by one vote, with abstentions from Brazil and Colombia. The resolution received 17 votes in favor, 11 abstentions and five countries were absent.
Milei accused Presidents Lula, Gustavo Petro (Colombia) and Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Mexico) of being accomplices of Nicolás Maduro.
"Some idiots accused me of being crazy for seeing communism everywhere. It is clear that these are accomplices, because they are ignorant and/or stupid," Milei wrote on social media.
