Thuggish US Police Illegally Break Into Venezuela's DC Embassy

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

On Monday, US police flagrantly breached the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by illegally breaking into Venezuela's DC embassy.

Its Article 22(1) states: "The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may not enter them, except with the consent of the head of the mission."

No Venezuelan consent was received!

Article 22(3) states: "The premises of the mission, their furnishings and other property thereon and the means of transport of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution."

Article 29 adds: "The person of a diplomatic agent shall be inviolable. He shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention." 

"The receiving State shall treat him (or her) with due respect and shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity."

Article 30 grants the same inviolability and protection to a diplomatic agent's private residence, his or her papers, correspondence, and property.

At the same time, inviolability isn't extra-territorial. Embassy (diplomatic mission) grounds remain the territory of host nations. However, inviolability protects missions from forced entry. Actions by thuggish US police breached international law.

On Monday, Answer Coalition embassy protectors tweeted: "BREAKING: US Marshalls  about to illegally seize Embassy of Venezuela and hand over to US-backed ambassadors of Guaido in violation of international law #EmbassyProtectionCollective members may be arrested."

CodePink embassy protectors tweeted: "BREAKING: authorities just taped this 'trespassing notice' onto the Venezuelan embassy. It orders all those inside to leave immediately and threatens arrest to those who refuse to comply with orders."

"This is illegal under international law!"

A Trump regime statement said it "recognizes (Guaido stooges Vecchio and Tarre) as the representatives of Venezuela (sic) with lawful control over the property (sic)," adding:

Regime hardliners don't "recognize the authority of" Venezuela's lawful president and legitimate government.

They accused lawful embassy protectors, supported by Maduro, Foreign Minister Arreaza, and other Bolivarian Republic officials, of "trespassing in violation of federal and District of Columbia law" — a bald-faced Big Lie.

They warned them of possible arrest and criminal prosecution — for protecting Venezuela's DC embassy from a hostile takeover, for courageously supporting the country's sovereign rights against the Trump regime flagrant violations and attempt to illegally topple its government.

Reportedly, no arrests were made. Most embassy protectors left involuntarily. According to Answer Coalition director Brian Becker:

"Police, who had cut the chains on the front door, seem to have back out. They have stepped back, they put the ties back to the front door, the people are still inside…They have not been arrested. That is confirmed."

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez tweeted the following:

"The US authorities have violated the international law by intruding into the Venezuelan Embassy in the United States without authorization of the Bolivarian government and President Nicolas Maduro."

Embassy protectors tweeted: "We are prepared to be arrested," indicating they won't comply with an illegal order demanding they leave, adding: 

"The fight is not over." Resistance against hostile Trump regime actions continues!

As of now, around six embassy protectors remain in the embassy, their legal right under international law.

The struggle to preserve and protect Venezuela's sovereign rights continues in the face of illegal Trump regime actions to eliminate them.

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