Venezuela to allow safe passage to Argentina for Machado aides

CARACAS: Venezuela’s government will allow six aides of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado who are currently at the Argentine embassy in Caracas to travel safely to Argentina, a government source said on Friday.

The aides, including campaign manager Magalli Meda, previously tipped as a potential replacement for Machado in this year’s presidential election, sought protection at the embassy in March after the attorney general’s office announced warrants for their arrest.

“We have granted safe passage to those six people. We are waiting for Argentina to take them to Buenos Aires,” the government source said. “The Venezuelan government has exceptionally allowed them to leave the country for humanitarian reasons.” While the aides will be allowed to leave, the criminal case against them will continue, the source added.