CARACAS (Reuters) -Venezuela is investigating a detained non-commissioned officer of Argentina’s Gendarmeria national security force for links to international right-wing terrorism, attorney general Tarek Saab said in a statement on Friday.
According to the statement, Nahuel Agustin Gallo was detained after attempting to enter Venezuela irregularly earlier this month. The government in Buenos Aires previously demanded Gallo’s immediate release.
Gallo is under investigation “for his connection to a group of people who attempted from our territory and with the support of international far-right groups to carry out a series of destabilizing and terrorist actions,” Saab said in the statement.
At a press conference with Gallo’s family later on Friday, Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein called the accusations a “big lie” and said Argentina was doing what it can to solve the situation.
Argentina’s Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said that Gallo entered Venezuela with all the appropriate paperwork and had a return ticket.
“His entrance was completely legal. What wasn’t legal was the way they kidnapped him at the border,” Bullrich said, adding that Gallo had a return ticket and was visiting Venezuela to see his son during his time off.
“What we’re saying to Tarek Saab now is that we want Nahuel Gallo returned to Argentina immediately.”
Argentina and Venezuela have tense relations, with right-wing libertarian President Javier Milei often clashing with Venezuela’s socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
Milei’s government cut ties with Caracas after Maduro was declared the winner of a contested July election, leading Brazil to take over as caretaker of its embassy and ambassador’s residence.
(Reporting by Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Lucila Sigal in Buenos Aires;Writing by Oliver Griffin and Alexander Villegas; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.