The Venezuelan EMTRASUR Boeing 747-300 cargo plane in Ezeiza airport, Argentina, pictured June 6, 2022. Photo: Reuters.
The attorney general of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, has announced that two specialized prosecutors have been appointed to process an arrest warrant against Argentinian President Javier Milei, Secretary General of the Argentinian Presidency Karina Milei, and Argentinian Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich, for the theft of the Venezuelan-owned EMTRASUR Boeing 747 cargo jumbo jet, in accordance with universal jurisdiction established by international law.
Saab made the announcement this Wednesday, September 18, during a press conference held in Caracas. The Venezuelan Public Ministry’s legal evaluation of the case concluded that the crimes of aggravated robbery, disabling of aircraft, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and simulation of a punishable act could be filed.
The case of what was reported as the theft of the Boeing 747-300M aircraft, owned by the Venezuelan company EMTRASUR, took place on February 12, 2024, when it departed the city of Buenos Aires bound for the US, after having been grounded for two years at the Ezeiza airport. Despite numerous actions taken by the Venezuelan government, it was sent with the consent of the Argentinian authorities to the US.
Milei and human rights
Saab also appointed another prosecutor specializing in human rights protection to investigate the violations that the Argentinian president has committed. In particular, there have been notable condemnations against the police repression of Argentinian retirees and pensioners demanding better economic conditions in Argentina.
The investigation of these abuses also includes Milei’s Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich, who has demonstrated her support for police repression. “Milei is utilizing the most ferocious aspects of the dictatorships of the 1980s and 1990s and is a danger to the region,” Saab stated, adding that the prosecutor assigned to the case will launch an investigation in accordance with international provisions.
Saab also noted that the Argentinian president is allied with international Zionism, and has handed over its sovereignty to the colonial army of the US, “and that is why he has no moral authority to attack the democratic institutions of Venezuela,” adding that the Argentinian justice system has enabled this by turning a blind eye to the human rights violations committed by Milei’s government.
Venezuela applies its jurisdiction
Saab stated that based on what is established in the Article 15 of the United Nations Convention against Organized Crime, a state party, in this case Venezuela, has the right to exercise its jurisdiction not only as a form of defense, but also to establish criminal responsibilities for the types of crimes in which they incur.
In the case of the EMTRASUR jumbo jet, Saab said that the crimes of aggravated robbery, money laundering, unlawful deprivation of liberty, simulation of a punishable act, unlawful interference, disabling of aircraft, and criminal association are presumed to have been committed. He also said that the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture, extrajudicial executions, and forced disappearances are so serious that they constitute crimes against humanity as a whole.
“Therefore, all states have the obligation to prosecute those responsible,” he said, explaining that in the case of human rights, “jurisdiction to exercise criminal action is based on the nature of the crime, regardless of the territory where the crime was committed or the nationality of the perpetrator. A state can exercise universal action, with respect to a crime committed by a foreigner outside its territory.”
“This conduct constitutes crimes against humanity,” Saab said, “causing terrible suffering to the vulnerable civilian population of Argentina.” For this reason, the Venezuelan government has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the serious violations committed by Argentinian authorities who enact genocide and carry out policies of repression against social protests and the elderly.
(Últimas Noticias) by Aura Torrealba with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
