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 office) and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich. Saab claimed that their actions amount to seven different crimes under Venezuelan law, including “aggravated theft” and money laundering. He said a Venezuelan court will soon issue arrest warrants for them.
The plane, Saab explained, was sent to the U.S. in 2024 and then “dismantled,” which outraged Venezuela even more. He made it clear that the Venezuelan people are furious, seeing this as a huge violation of their rights.
Argentina isn’t backing down, though. Their Foreign Ministry released a statement rejecting the arrest warrants, saying that the handover of the plane was legal and was approved by Argentina’s court system. They pointed out that the country’s judiciary is independent, and the government can’t interfere with it.
Javier Milei, who became Argentina’s president in 2023, has made it clear that he wants to build stronger ties with the U.S. He’s even asked the International Criminal Court to arrest Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, whom Milei has called a “dictator” responsible for human rights abuses. In return, Maduro has slammed Milei, calling him a “right-wing extremist” and accusing him of bowing to U.S. power.
This legal battle and political tension are now causing a major stir in South America. Both countries are locked in a fierce dispute, with Venezuela determined to hold Argentina accountable for what they see as a serious crime, while Argentina insists that everything was done by the book. What happens next could lead to an even bigger confrontation.
