CARACAS (AP) — The Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela issued an arrest warrant against the Argentine president, Javier Milei, for the controversy that arose between both countries regarding the detention in Argentine territory and delivery to the United States of a cargo plane that was sold, according to Washington, by a sanctioned Iranian airline to a Venezuelan state-owned company.
As a result of that episode, tension between Venezuela and Argentina, which had been building up since Milei came to power in December of last year, intensified. The administration of President Nicolás Maduro then accused Argentina and the United States of "conspiracy" and of violating international aviation rules.
What is the arrest warrant from Venezuela against Milei about?
Through a statement released on Monday, a Venezuelan court indicated that the arrest warrant requested by the general prosecutor last week against Milei, his sister Karina, general secretary of the Argentine Presidency, and the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, was issued for their alleged responsibility in the "theft" and "disabling" of the aircraft last February.
The Supreme Court indicated that its decision is part of a tax investigation for alleged crimes of "aggravated robbery, money laundering, simulation of punishable acts" and "illicit interference in the operational safety of civil aviation and disabling of aircraft and association to commit crimes", among other offenses.
The Argentine government repudiated the decision on the arrest warrants against the president and high officials, arguing that "the mentioned case was resolved by the Judiciary, an independent power over which the executive cannot and should not have any interference, in application of an international agreement." This refers to the fact that in January, a month before the seizure, an Argentine judge approved the confiscation of the cargo plane at the request of the United States.
The Argentine Chancellery, in a statement published last week on its website, also added that "the Argentine government reminds the Venezuelan regime that in the Argentine Republic the division of powers and the independence of judges prevail, something that unfortunately does not happen in Venezuela under the regime of Nicolás Maduro."
What happened to the plane that Venezuela is claiming?
Emtrasur's plane, a Venezuelan cargo airline and subsidiary of the state-owned company Conviasa that had previously been sanctioned by the United States, was detained in June 2022 by the Argentine police.
US officials completed the paperwork a few weeks later to take possession of it. Argentina officially handed over custody of the plane to the United States on February 11th.
The aircraft had been previously transferred to the Venezuelan company by Mahan Air, an Iranian airline that officials say supports the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. For years, it has been under business restrictions by the US government.
According to U.S. officials, that sale was made without authorization from the U.S. government, violated export control laws, and also improperly benefited the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The relationship between Maduro and Milei has been tense. Milei, an ultra-liberal and far-right economist, has referred to Maduro as a “poverty-inducing socialist” and “dictator”, while the Venezuelan leader repeatedly insults Milei in public appearances and compares him to Adolf Hitler.