Title: CIDH Dictates Urgent Measures for Detained Argentine Gendarme in Venezuela
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) has issued a series of urgent measures on behalf of Argentine gendarme, Nahuel Gallo, who has been detained in Venezuela on charges of espionage and terrorism. The actions were imposed by the commission, which operates as an autonomous body within the Organization of the Americas (OEA), on Friday.
One of the key measures is the demand for information from the government of Nicolás Maduro regarding Gallo’s whereabouts and the permission for him to communicate with his family. Notably, the resolution unveils that two lawyers representing Gallo approached the Venezuelan Attorney General’s office on December 17, 2024, seeking information about his location but were denied any answers.
Reflecting on the CIDH’s resolution, it was unveiled that the two lawyers were summoned to the Attorney General’s office but were notified that Gallo’s disappearance case would not proceed and were left without information. Their attempt to file a complaint in the central offices of the Attorney General in Caracas was also denied.
As of now, the Argentine Ministry of Security has not publicized any details about any contact between lawyers representing Gallo and Venezuelan authorities. Sources close to the ministry, led by Patricia Bullrich, neither denied nor confirmed the encounter. They clarified that it did not lead to any meaningful progress, and currently, Gallo remains without legal representation.
The CIDH report also mentions that Gallo’s mother-in-law tried to obtain information about his whereabouts at the Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM) in Boleíta, Caracas, and was told that he was not present there.
The government is now focusing on securing legal representation for Gallo, engaging international and federal justice systems to obtain information about his whereabouts through diplomatic channels.
The CIDH deemed the situation to be of high gravity, urgency, and irreparability, thereby enabling precautionary measures in favor of Gallo. They subsequently requested that Venezuela provide information about Gallo’s detention conditions and ensure his access to necessary treatment for any health conditions.
The request for precautionary measures was submitted by the Instituto Casla, a rights organization, through its executive director. Despite the CIDH’s request for answers on December 23, Venezuela has yet to provide a response, and the deadline for the Maduro government to submit a reply has expired.