Venezuela's EMTRASUR Boeing 747-300, seized and grounded by Argentina's authorities to please their bosses in Washington. File photo.
The 19 member Venezuelan and Iranian crew of the EMTRASUR aircraft illegally retained in Argentina will have to go to trial to clarify the situations that involved the retention of the Boeing 747-300 cargo jet and the impediment of its crew from leaving the country.
The information was released by the manager of Conviasa and director of international relations of the Venezuelan ministry of transport, Eliana Salazar, in a radio interview.
She announced that: âOn Thursday they all have to present themselves in a hearing that will last from eight to 15 minutes. Each one of the members has the opportunity to be heard, to defend themselves in this hearing that could last up to eight hours, since there are 19 crew members: 15 Venezuelan and 4 Iranian … there are no accusations, there are no crimes.â
Similarly, Salazar stated that, “the total release of the crew is expected, [the crew] which is made up of 19 citizens of Venezuelan and Iranian nationality who have committed no crime and once they were given their passports, they showed no attempt to flee.”
Government of Venezuela Launches Mission to Reunite EMTRASUR Crew Members with Families
Likewise, she stressed that legal actions to recover the EMTRASUR plane continue; EMTRASUR is a subsidiary company of Conviasa.
Salazar reiterated that the Venezuelan state is following every step that is being taken in this investigation, which has raised controversy after the interference of a foreign country, in this case a court in the District of Columbia of the United States which demanded that Argentina seize the plane.
Finally, she stressed that the retention of the aircraft on Argentinian soil has had an unfavorable impact on Conviasa’s activity and Venezuelan tourist recovery, in addition to the 90 days of irregular detention of the crew members, which represents an expense for Venezuela.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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