The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) reiterates its strongest condemnation of the siege and harassment perpetrated by Venezuelan security forces around the Official Residence of the Embassy of Argentina in Caracas, where six Venezuelan citizens have sheltered in asylum since March 27, 2024.
This siege constitutes a flagrant violation of the guarantees of security and protection that must be granted to asylum seekers, as stipulated in the 1954 Convention on Diplomatic Asylum and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The intimidating presence of armed personnel, power and water cuts, as well as the interruption of food and water supplies, represent an imminent danger to the life and integrity of asylum seekers.
The OAS reiterates that the granting of safe conduct for asylum seekers is an imperative that must be complied with immediately. The refusal to grant these safe-conducts not only aggravates the situation of the asylum seekers, but also constitutes a violation of the international obligations assumed by Venezuela.
The deployment of repressive forces with assault weapons around the Argentine Embassy and the general harassment to which the diplomatic headquarters is being subjected reveals the worst aberrations of the regime and violates the fundamental principles of international law and human rights. The OAS urgently calls on the international community to stand in solidarity with the asylum seekers and demand respect for their rights and guarantees.
The OAS General Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to the protection of human rights, the inviolability of diplomatic missions and full respect for the right to diplomatic asylum. Stability, security and peace in the region depend on compliance with these essential principles.
Reference: E-098/24
