Argentina rejects arrests of minors in Venezuela

The Argentine government expressed its rejection of the “illegal detentions” of Children and adolescents in Venezuela accused of terrorism in the midst of the repressive context that citizens are experiencing after the presidential elections, held on July 28, in which the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Nicolás Maduro the winner.

«The Argentine Republic condemns the illegal detention of children and adolescents in Venezuela and expresses its deep concern about the violations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the Maduro regime,” said the statement published by the Foreign Ministry on Friday, August 30, in its official website.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry expressed its concern and condemned the arrest of 132 minors who, according to the statement, are victims of the total violation of their fundamental human rights in a context of indiscriminate repression.

«The Venezuelan State intends to charge these children and adolescents with terrorism, “While they are not allowed to contact their families or appoint trusted lawyers, they are forced to hire public defenders whose impartiality is not guaranteed,” the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Violation of human rights

Argentina, which was one of the first nations to reject Nicolás Maduro’s election victory, stressed that these arrests of minors represent a violation of both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and international human rights treaties to which Venezuela is a party, the Argentine Foreign Ministry clarified.

“The intention to charge a group of children and adolescents with terrorism is deplorable and atrocious, especially considering that, as stated by the President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Roberta Clarke, it is The Maduro regime is the one that applies practices of state terrorism in Venezuela“, the statement said.

Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino called on “not to be complicit in fraud” during his participation in the special session convened by the Organization of American States (OAS) on July 31 in Washington, United States.

“Let the region not be indifferent to the popular will expressed on July 28. Let us not maintain this farce, we must be able to distinguish between good and evil (…) Maduro is a leader who makes his own people suffer,” said Mondino during his speech at the OAS.

He President of ArgentinaJavier Milei was one of the first Latin American leaders to reject Nicolás Maduro’s victory, along with other presidents from countries such as Uruguay, Chile, the Dominican Republic and Panama.