Diplomatic Tensions Escalate: Argentine Soldier Arrest in Venezuela

An Argentine soldier, Nahuel Gallo, was arrested in Venezuela, sparking tensions between the two countries. Argentine President Javier Milei demands his immediate release, with diplomatic relations already strained following Venezuela's controversial presidential election. Venezuela's Interior Minister suggests Gallo was on a 'mission.'

In a recent diplomatic stir, Argentine President Javier Milei has called for the immediate release of Nahuel Gallo, an Argentine soldier detained in Venezuela. The incident adds to the growing tensions between Argentina and Venezuela, sparking demands for diplomatic intervention.

Gallo, a member of the Argentine national force known as the Gendarmeria, was arrested on December 8 while visiting family in Venezuela's Tachira state. President Milei, along with the foreign and security ministries, expressed intentions to pursue all diplomatic avenues to ensure Gallo's safe return to Argentina.

The already fraught relationship between the two nations worsened last August when Argentine diplomats were expelled from Caracas. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello alleged Gallo might have been on an aborted 'mission.' The situation follows the disputed July election in Venezuela, deemed fraudulent by Milei's government.

(With inputs from agencies.)