Rubio Reports Release of Venezuelan Dissidents in Rescue Mission

May 8, 2025 TruthUSA

For over a year, five opposition figures sought refuge in the Argentine embassy in Venezuela.

This week, five members of Venezuela’s political opposition who had been sheltered at the Argentine diplomatic residence in the capital for more than a year arrived safely in the United States, as announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 6. He termed the extraction a “successful rescue.”

While Rubio provided limited specifics regarding the group’s journey, he emphasized that the operation was a collaborated effort to liberate political dissidents captured by the regime of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s leader.

“The U.S. celebrates the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentine Embassy in Caracas,” Rubio stated in a social media post. “Following a precise operation, all hostages are now secure on U.S. soil. Maduro’s illegitimate regime has harmed Venezuela’s institutions, breached human rights, and jeopardized our regional security.”

The five individuals, who reportedly left on May 6, had been besieged by Venezuelan security forces since March 2024 after being accused of attempting to destabilize the Maduro regime.

Upon arrival, Argentina had granted them formal asylum, with a May 6 statement from President Javier Milei’s office describing their extraction as an “impeccable operation” in coordination with the United States.

María Corina Machado’s office, a Venezuelan opposition leader, applauded the effort in a May 6 statement, labeling it a “historic milestone” for both the rescued opposition figures and the “wider struggle of all Venezuelans yearning for freedom.”

The Argentine residence in Caracas, shielded by Brazilian protection since Buenos Aires cut ties with Maduro following Venezuela’s contested 2024 election, had become a source of international tension. Brazil, which did not participate in the extraction, expressed that it had consistently urged Venezuela to permit safe passage for the asylum-seeking opposition members.

“These continuous efforts were not recognized, worsening the humanitarian conditions at the Argentine residence in Caracas, which had been encircled by security forces,” stated Brazil’s foreign ministry in a statement on Wednesday. “The announcement of their departure concludes this chapter and the ordeal faced by the asylum seekers for over 400 days.”

The five opposition figures had consistently reported instances of harassment and pressure from Venezuelan intelligence agents, including disruptions to power and water supply at the residence—claims which the Maduro regime has denied.

Venezuelan officials have dismissed Rubio’s narrative of a rescue operation, with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello asserting that it was the product of negotiations with the Venezuelan government.

Cabello informed The Associated Press that the opposition figures’ departure was negotiated with the government, not coerced or clandestine. He also mentioned that one of the six who initially sought asylum at the compound had already departed in August, contradicting statements from opposition leaders.

“They staged their performance, and in the end, they resorted to negotiations,” Cabello said during his weekly television broadcast.

The Epoch Times has contacted the State Department for comments regarding Cabello’s assertions about the circumstances of the extraction.

This operation comes amidst a continued crackdown on dissent following Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election. The electoral council, which is controlled by Maduro allies, declared him the winner amidst widespread fraud allegations. Nationwide protests erupted, leading to a severe government response that resulted in over 20 deaths, prompting several countries, including Argentina, to sever diplomatic ties with Caracas.

Opposition figures are currently demanding the release of more than 900 political prisoners detained following the election.

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