The US government has come to the public to condemn the arrest of the uncle of Venezuela’s self-proclaimed president, Juan Guaidó. The arrest took place on Tuesday, February 11, when Juan Jose Marquez arrived in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on a flight from Lisbon, owned by the Portuguese company TAP, who was traveling with Juan Guaidó himself, after a tour for several European countries, but also the United States.
Washington “demands the immediate release” of Juan Jose Marquez, considering the accusations made by Venezuelan authorities as “absurd”, which exemplify “the increasing despair of Maduro and his corrupt associates”.
The US Foreign Affairs Ministry points out that “inventing evidence to justify arbitrary and politically motivated arrests is a common tool of the illegitimate old Maduro regime”.
The episode caused an increase in diplomatic tension between Lisbon and Caracas. On Thursday, the Venezuelan Government came out to publicly criticize TAP for having violated “international standards” for allowing the transport of explosives and for concealing the identity of Juan Guaidó on that flight to Caracas.
Furthermore, the Maduro regime also accuses the Portuguese ambassador in Caracas, Carlos Sousa Amaro, of interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs, by interceding for Juan Guaidó’s uncle, accused of carrying explosives on board this flight.
In response, the Portuguese government said it “sees no sense” in the accusations made by the Maduro regime against Portugal and TAP, and that the arrest of Juan José Marquez is an “attempt to intimidate” Juan Guaidó.
The United States Government points out that Lisbon airport has “strict security control”, and that TAP itself has publicly said that “it is impossible to travel with explosives”.
Washington points out that in 2019 alone there were a total of 2,219 arbitrary arrests in Venezuela, and more than 15,000 between 2014 and 2019. “The United States condemns the thousands of arbitrary deaths, attacks and arrests that are taking place in Venezuela”.
“We will consider Nicolas Maduro and those around him for the safety and well-being of the family of interim President Guaidó to be fully responsible, and all those who defend democracy in Venezuela,” according to the US Government
In view of the accusations of the Venezuelan regime that the Portuguese Government is acting in collusion with Juan Guaidó, Lisbon ordered the opening of an inquiry on this issue.
“In view of the statements by the Venezuelan authorities referring to an alleged security breach on a flight originating in Lisbon, the Minister of Internal Administration ordered IGAI to carry out an investigation to establish the facts”, according to a statement from the tutelage of Eduardo Cabrita released on Friday market.
Government opens investigation into flight to Venezuela after accusations against TAP
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