Argentina recommends its citizens not to travel to Venezuela: ‘Stop traveling to that country because it is dangerous. They are taken hostage’

The Argentine government Thursday recommended its citizens to avoid traveling to Venezuela. The recommendation came after Diosdado Cabello, Venezuelan minister of the interior, justice and peace, reported the kidnapping of an Argentine national by the Venezuelan regime for an alleged conspiracy plot against the country.

"Stop traveling to that country, because it is dangerous, they are taken hostage," said an Argentine government source in statements offered to Infobae.

Similarly, the official detailed that from the moment Cabello informed about the new capture, Argentine authorities have working diligently to determine the identity of the kidnapped person.

"We are investigating from the first minute, but the situation is very complicated because diplomatic and consular relations are absolutely cut off," the Argentine official explained.

It was also learned that the Argentine citizen works for a cybersecurity company and that he entered Venezuela using an Italian passport.

This Wednesday, Cabello announced the arrest of a Spanish citizen, an Argentine and a Bulgarian on charges of conspiracy. "If they come here to conspire, we are going to catch them, let them know it," he stated during his weekly program "Con el Mazo Dando."

Cabello did not offer detailed information about the operation nor did he reveal the identities of those arrested.

Arbitrary arrests in Venezuela are common. NGO Foro Penal recorded 900 political prisoners in Venezuela. Of these, 730 are civilians and 170 are military, including five minors. In addition, there are 79 people with foreign nationality detained for political reasons in the country.

Since 2014, Foro Penal has documented more than 18,300 detentions for political reasons in Venezuela. The organization also notes that 16 people have died in state custody, and that more than 10,900 individuals have been subjected to precautionary measures restricting their freedom.

The case of Nahuel Gallo

This case is added to that of officer Nahuel Gallo, whose whereabouts have been unknown since Dec. 8 and who remains without access to basic judicial or consular guarantees.