Venezuela is going after Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, accusing him of illegally giving a Venezuelan cargo plane to the United States. This move has sparked a tense dispute between the two South American countries, centered on a Boeing 747 cargo plane that was originally purchased from Iran.

Here’s what happened: in August 2022, Argentina seized the Venezuelan plane after the U.S. requested it. The U.S. had blacklisted the plane’s previous owner, Iran’s Mahan Air, as part of sanctions on Iran. Venezuela has been furious ever since, claiming that Argentina had no right to take the plane and give it to the U.S., which goes against international law. In response, Venezuela demanded compensation and, in March 2024, closed its airspace to all flights to and from Argentina.

Things took a dramatic turn when Venezuela’s top prosecutor, Tarek Saab, announced a criminal investigation into Milei and some of his top officials, including his sister Karina Milei (who runs his offic...