In a bold and precisely executed mission, the U.S. has safely rescued five Venezuelan opposition figures who had spent over a year trapped inside the closed Argentine embassy in Caracas. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the news on Tuesday, praising the operation and all those who helped bring the dissidents to safety.
The group—Pedro Urruchurtu, Magallí Meda, Claudia Macero, Humberto Villalobos, and Ómar González—had sought asylum at the embassy in March 2024 after arrest warrants were issued against them by Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Surrounded and cut off by Venezuelan authorities loyal to Maduro, the group remained confined in the building for 14 months, waiting for a breakthrough.
Rubio applauded the successful mission, stating that the U.S. “welcomes the safe return of all individuals unjustly held by the Maduro regime.” He went on to condemn Maduro’s authoritarian grip on Venezuela, saying his regime “has dismantled democratic institutions, trampled on human rights, and destabilized the region.”
The five dissidents are closely tied to María Corina Machado, leader of the center-right party Vente Venezuela and one of the few prominent voices still challenging Maduro’s rule. Tragically, a sixth dissident who had also taken refuge in the embassy, 70-year-old Fernando Martínez Mottola, chose to surrender in December. He passed away two months later after suffering a stroke.
The dramatic rescue comes amid continued fallout from Venezuela’s controversial July 2024 election. Maduro declared himself the winner, but global leaders widely rejected the results as fraudulent. Opposition candidate Edmundo González fled to Spain, while Machado has gone into hiding to avoid arrest.
After Argentina severed ties with Maduro’s government in protest of the election, Brazil stepped in to temporarily safeguard the embassy. Though Maduro later withdrew Brazil’s authority over the building, the country continued to protect it until the rescued dissidents could be safely evacuated.
Argentina’s government also expressed deep gratitude to the U.S. and other partners who played a role in securing the safety of those who had been under their protection.
This mission marks a significant moment for Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement and offers hope to those still resisting Maduro’s grip.