What happens in Venezuela It is not a discussion of international politics, something that happens only abroad and that concerns only the neighboring country. For years now, when the Chavista regime is debated, what is done, on this ground, is to position oneself on one side or the other of the rift. Venezuela It is a nodal point of the Argentine public debate, one of those that stir passions and that are therefore susceptible to becoming political flags. The kidnapping of part of USA of the dictator Nicolas Maduro could only fuel that fire that has been burning in these latitudes for some time, and become the axis of the national agenda, both for the Government as for the opposition. That is why all the local leaders took sides in the middle of the conflict, while, riding the wave, they took the opportunity to move their chips. Venezuela It is today, more than ever, an electoral discussion.
Pink House. The only side where there was no doubt about who to support was the Government: the line that went down Javier Milei was in absolute alignment with donald trumpa policy that he has been maintaining since the magnate won the elections in 2024 and that last year was essential for him to get through the pre-election financial quagmire. However, full support for USA It did not come without problems. Yes ok Milei and his ministers followed the events in Venezuela since early Saturday morning, when the kidnapping of Ripetime and again they were left out in the cold when faced with the decisions of trump. So much Mileilike the chancellor Pablo Quirno and the senator Patricia Bullrich supported, in notes or communications, Edmundo González Urrutiathe opposition candidate who won in last year’s elections in Venezuela that then madurismo forged.
However, trump had another idea in mind: until the time of going to press, he had not pushed for a change of Government in that country, and in fact he seems to have elected Delcy Rodriguezthe successor of Ripeas his political interlocutor. Corina Machadoyour dolphin Urrutia –both publicly supported by the libertarian, who even opened the balcony of the Pink the second on a visit to the 2025– and the opposition activist Elisa Trotta –who held a meeting with Milei in the Pink on thursday 8– are conspicuous by their absence in the plans of trump.
But this was not the only mistake Milei. on tuesday 6 There were two others. In the local morning, The New York Times published the new accusation of the attorney general of USA, Pam Bondito Ripe: there he withdraws the statement that “the Poster of the Suns”, the drug group to which trump accused Ripe to lead, it was real. Milei and their space had stood on this idea to attack Ripeto the point that in August he Government had declared that alleged cartel a “terrorist organization.” Despite the leak from the American media, at the close of this note the ruling party kept this supposed cartel on that prohibited list.
On Tuesday night Milei spoke with the official streaming Neuraand in the midst of praise to trump He assured that he was not going in search of “oil.” Hours later, the American himself reported on his networks that Venezuela I was going to deliver until “50 million barrels of oil” to the giant of the north. The “unrestricted freedom of the life project of others” would not seem to occupy a central place in the designs of trump.
In any case, in the ruling party it was experienced, behind closed doors, as a closed victory. He Government lowered the line to all its members to come out to support the kidnapping of Ripeand some, like Patricia Bullrichtook advantage of the events to show off their figure. Near the senator they swear that this idea of supporting her comes from the end of last year, after a dinner between her and Karina Milei. “I want you to be my candidate for head of government in 2027“, the general secretary would have told him in that meeting, according to the bullrichista side. Has the youngest of the family suddenly discovered generosity? Until then, who appeared as the natural candidate of Karinism for the City was Manuel Adorni. Some in the Governmentwho know the strong way to play Karina Mileithey say that the invitation to Bullrich he was poisoned: take any presidential dreams out of his head. What is clear is that, in addition to the Presidentit was the former Minister of Security who took the lead within Freedom Advances about what happened in Venezuela.
“It was always a historical flag of theirs, it has a lot of relationship with that community,” they say in that troop about the presence of Bullrich in a celebration held by opponents of Ripe in it Obelisk. In that media raid – which even included a strong confrontation with Larreta– the head of the libertarian bloc in the Senate had a blooper during an interview with Maria O’Donnell. “It is not the intention of trump a change of regime, he never talked about democracy, what they want is to negotiate access to Venezuelan oil,” the journalist told him, to which he replied “I don’t believe in that theory.” “But that’s what he says. trump“was the response of the driver of Urbanwhich left the senator in silence for a few seconds. The moment went viral on the networks.
There were also some short circuits. The diary The Nation published that there were “confidential” dialogues to achieve the release of the gendarme Nahuel Gallodetained in Venezuela ago more than one year. That leak shook the Governmentand even motivated a repudiation of Santiago Caputoin his official account. Then the Minister of Security, Alejandra Monteolivaconfirmed these negotiations in a note in Radio Miter.
Meanwhile, there were movements in Chancellery. Nahuel Sotelofrom the kidney of caputism, left his position as Secretary of Worship to become a Buenos Aires legislator, where he will reinforce the depleted benches of “The forces of heaven” within the official bloc. In any case, the position will remain in the hands of the side of the “Wizard of the Kremlin”: his place will be taken Agustín Caulowho already worked for Sotelo in that wallet. In those lines there have been intense days. Milei prepares to travel to the forum Davosin Swisswhere he already starred in strong controversies in his last two appearances. In it Government They take for granted that what happened with Ripe will be part of the speech President.
Opposition
For him peronism Venezuela It is a more than thorny issue, especially due to the close relationship that the governments maintained Kirchnerists with the chavismo. Cristina Kirchner, Juan Grabois, Luis D’Elia, Axel Kicillof, Ricardo Quintelagovernor of Riojaand Sergio Ziliottoyour pair of The Pampawere some of those who came out to condemn the kidnapping of Ripe and the actions of USAin addition to a formal statement from the Justicialist Party. But his position was not shared by everyone in this space. Osvaldo Jaldogovernor of Tucuman –who has been playing for the ruling party since he took office Milei– joined the support for trumpin the same discursive line as the libertarian.
There were also other nuances. He Renewal Frontof Sergio Massaissued a statement in which it “categorically” rejected the US invasion, but differentiated itself from its political partners by pointing out the “opacity” of the Chavista regime. William Michelformer director of the Customs and the Tigrense’s kidney, went further on his social networks: he assured that Peronism had omitted to “previously point out serious issues of the government of Ripewhich went so far as to arrest political leaders and students, without respecting democracy.” Guillermo Moreno and Miguel Ángel Pichetto They also spoke out. In what seemed like the premiere of a new political alliance, both expressed themselves in harmony, celebrating “the first step towards Venezuela recover democracy”, and encompassing what happened as part of “a new world order” in which it suited Argentina be associated with the USA of trump.
He Left Frontfor its part, was the only space that called for active mobilization. Along with ATE and the Autonomous CTAthey marched on saturday 3 and the monday 5 in the vicinity of the american embassy in the neighborhood of Palermounder the slogan “Yankees out of Latin America“The march went viral on the networks because some protesters burned a flag of that country during the event.
Either way, this is still a developing story. The tension in Venezuela and in the region it is not going to stop climbing.
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