The relatives of two Argentines detained in Venezuela They demonstrated this Friday in front of the headquarters of the Apostolic Nunciature in Buenos Aires to ask for his release and delivered a letter to the entity’s minister advisor, Monsignor Daniele Liessi, in which they requested the intermediation of the Vatican.
The march was led by María Alexandra Gómez, wife of the Argentine gendarme Nahuel Gallo, 34 years old and detained in Venezuela on December 8, 2024, and Virginia Rivero, wife of the lawyer Germán Giuliani, arrested in May 2025.
The protesters They displayed flags and posters with photographs of the detainees, They demanded that the releases promised by the Venezuelan government two weeks ago be fulfilled and denounced the delay in the process and the uncertainty that the families are going through.
“We ask that you to stop being lukewarm, to be defenders of human rights, defenders of the right to life,” Gómez expressed in front of the headquarters of the Apostolic Nunciature in Buenos Aires.
Gómez was received along with Rivero by Monsignor Liessi, to whom they gave a letter in which they requested the intervention of the Vatican for the release of their partners.
“We trust that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, can intercede with the Venezuelan government to facilitate a prompt solution to this situation,” expresses the document accessed by Efe.
In the letter, the families appealed to “the humanitarian sensitivity and the permanent commitment of the Holy See to the defense of human dignity, freedom and fundamental rights” and expressed their hope that the Church “can exercise its moral influence to contribute to a just and humanitarian solution to this situation.”
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
The relatives expressed that their concern “is aggravated by the numerous reports from international organizations and human rights organizations that have documented arbitrary detentions, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and serious violations of fundamental guarantees in Venezuela”.
The Venezuelan NGO Foro Penal and the majority opposition estimate between 154 and 170 people were released since January 8, when the president of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, announced a “significant number” of releases, without specifying identities or the conditions of these measures.
According to the latest official bulletin of the NGO, In Venezuela there are 863 political prisoners, among them 86 foreigners or with dual nationality, although the government’s position is that they are imprisoned for the “commission of terrible punishable acts.”
Alleged plot to attack Delcy Rodríguez
Gallo was charged with terrorist activities for allegedly participate in a plot to attack Delcy Rodríguez, then vice president and current president in charge after the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3 by US forces.
His wife said this Friday that the ecclesiastical institution assured them that they would act as “intermediaries” and “they are going to advocate” for the release of the detainees.
Rivero, for his part, told Efe that after almost a month of uncertainty, she managed to communicate with her husband on January 16 and confirm that he is in the Yare II maximum security prison.
“I heard it well, I heard it loudly and that gave me some peace of mind”Rivero said.
“From here we will continue to do everything in our power to continue exerting pressure and be able to achieve the release of not only the Argentines, but all political prisoners,” he added.
