The Argentine government, through Ambassador Diego Sadofschi, denounced at the International Criminal Court (ICC) 'human rights violations' in Venezuela and requested the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello.
During the conference, the Argentine ambassador in The Hague stated that the situation in the Caribbean country 'has deteriorated even further following the fraudulent elections of July 2024' and that this scenario 'demands immediate attention' from the Court. He argued that 'arbitrary detentions, inhumane treatment, and other crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Venezuelan regime require rigorous but expeditious investigations, including the issuance of arrest warrants against its main perpetrators'.
The official also noted that Argentina's decision not to block the consensus on this issue 'should not be understood as a gesture towards Venezuela, but rather as a demonstration of the Argentine Republic's commitment to the ICC and the value it places on this Assembly's work'.
The Venezuelan response was not long in coming. That country's representative, Héctor Constant Rosales, requested the floor to accuse the Milei government of being a 'false defender' of human rights.
He recalled that 'on November 20th of last year, concerning the resolution on torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishments, within the framework of the 51st plenary session of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, Argentina shamefully voted against the various commitments reached in that measure'.
Rosales urged Argentina and the other states to 'positively focus on the work of this Court to ensure that we can advance constructively, in a spirit of solidarity, on the issues that are common to us'.
Sadofschi again requested the floor to respond to the Venezuelan's remarks, 'rejecting' his 'aggravating' terms and expressions.
In this context, Argentina's attitude of not opposing the will of the Assembly demonstrates our commitment to the ICC and an affirmation of the call for the Court to take concrete and urgent measures regarding the situation in Venezuela,' he concluded.
He also reminded that Argentina 'has always been understanding of the financial difficulties' faced by the Assembly's member states.
'One cannot ignore the reality of the crimes being committed in that country.'
