Raid of Venezuelan Emtrasur Plane in Argentina Was Illegal (Página 12 Report)

Argentine airport police searched the Emtrasur aircraft without a court order.

According to a report from Argentine news outlet Página 12, the Airport Security Police (PSA) of Argentina carried out a raid on a Venezuelan Emtrasur aircraft—considered foreign territory by international law—without a court order.

The crew members of the seized cargo plane released a statement, highlighting that “no crime under investigation has yet been determined,” either against the plane or against any member of the crew. They also condemned the way in which the case has been handled by most of the Argentine media.

“The authorities involved did not deign to find out that the crew is in training with the Iranian pilots who have flown the aircraft since 1986,” said the cargo aircraft crew.

The five Iranian citizens who have been piloting the plane and who are now training the Venezuelan crew members have crossed many borders without encountering any problem with any immigration or police authority.

In the raid, carried out at the beginning of last week by Argentine authorities, 60 agents took part, some of them wearing camouflage gear and bringing along dogs and scanners.

An actual court-appointed inspection only took place on Thursday evening and early Friday morning, June 16 and 17.

Página 12 reported that the PSA leaked information to the opposition and the media—primarily suportive of the opposition—without providing any documentation or evidence of any sort of alleged irregularities associated with the aircraft or amongst the crew.

On June 16, Interpol certified in writing that none of the crew members have been required internationally for any legal case related to terrorism, as reported by Venezuelan opposition media as well as some international media.

The crew members of the Boeing 747 have made a call to authorities, asking them to resolve quickly a situation that has caused “serious damage to the families of those affected and to Emtrasur.”

(Últimas Noticias) by Reinaldo Linares

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/GMS/SC