Police arrested three protestors who were part of an activist group that rallied outside the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. They were arrested for showing support for the country’s opposition government and Code Pink antiwar activists feud over the fate of the building, The Hill reports.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that three activists including Code Pink’s national co-director Ariel Gold were arrested, though the exact nature of the alleged offenses was unclear. One person was charged with “throwing missiles” and two with assault, according to the Post.
The embassy, which was abandoned by officials loyal to Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro last week when the officials’ visas expired, now remains under the control of Code Pink activists who entered the facility last week at the invitation of Maduro officials to protest U.S. involvement in Venezuela, as well as attempts to transfer the embassy to the control of forces loyal to Juan Guaidó, whom the U.S. recognizes as Venezuela’s official leader.
Code Pink activists say that supporters of Guaidó have surrounded the building, preventing entry and keeping activists inside from obtaining food or medicine. Protesters contended to the newspaper that they were not barring food or medicine from entering, but would not allow more Americans to enter the building.
“No one has been able to get into the building. I’ve tried three times, but all the doors are blocked,” Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin told the Post. “But we’re planning to stay. We’ll figure out a way to get food and supplies in to the people who need it.”
Guaidó, who declared himself the interim president of Venezuela earlier this year, entered the so-called “final phase” of his plan to oust Maduro from power this week, with the support of the Trump administration. He has since called on members of the country’s military to support him, and urged thousands of his supporters to the streets.
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