Argentina criticizes Venezuela's ban on airspace, calls country a "dictatorship"

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Diplomatic tensions between Venezuela and Argentina are growing after a spokesperson for the Argentine government said Wednesday that Venezuela is governed by “dictators” and “madmen.”

"From a government of dictators, the only thing that can be expected are affairs that do not even deserve a response. It saddens us for the Venezuelan people that they have been governed by these madmen for a long time," said Manuel Adorni.

The statements were made after Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil wrote Tuesday on X that “the neo-Nazi government of Argentina is submissive and obedient to its imperial master.”

The diplomatic dispute began when Nicolas Maduro´s government prohibited Argentine aircraft from flying above Venezuelan airspace Tuesday in response to the seizure of a Venezuelan-Iranian aircraft that was detained in Argentina for a terrorism investigation.

“Venezuela exercises full sovereignty in its airspace, and reiterates that no aircraft coming from or heading to Argentina will be able to fly over our territory,” said Gil.

A Boeing 747 of the Venezuelan airline Emtrasur was detained by Argentine authorities June 8, 2022, for 20 months.

The US Justice Department then took custody of the aircraft and said the sale of the plane to Venezuela by Iran’s Mahan Air violated its sanctions against Tehran. Washington claimed that the plane was used to conduct covert operations by Venezuelan and Iranian agents in Latin America.

​​The Venezuelan foreign minister said the ban will remain "until our company is duly compensated for the damage caused, after the illegal actions were carried out to please its guardians in the north."

Adorni said Tuesday that prohibiting airlines from flying above Venezuelan airspace brings a "very high" economic cost to the airlines.

The measure, the spokesperson said, will cost "thousands of dollars per flight," which will harm "a lot of passengers."

Adorni did not provide details about the diplomatic actions that were announced Tuesday against Venezuela in response to the ban, which was ratified by the Venezuelan parliament, which has a pro-government majority.

Buenos Aires had announced diplomatic actions against Venezuela, including the possibility of filing a complaint before the International Civil Aviation Organization.