The capture of Nicolás Maduro last Saturday has sparked an offensive in the Chilean Congress, where various political blocs are presenting resolution projects to stake out positions on the Venezuelan crisis. Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren appeared before parliamentary committees to outline the executive's stance, emphasizing principles of non-intervention. While the government condemns U.S. interference, the opposition seeks measures against criminal groups linked to the regime.
The arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by the United States last Saturday has echoed in Chile, prompting responses in the legislative arena. President Gabriel Boric condemned the U.S. interference in Venezuelan territory, but in the National Congress, deputies' blocs have pushed resolution projects to shape the political agenda.
These projects, which request actions from the executive, face procedural delays, as they must wait several sessions to be voted on unless committees unanimously agree. The Republican Party bloc has drafted an initiative asking President Boric to designate the Cartel de los Soles, an alleged Venezuelan criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, as an 'international terrorist organization,' adapting measures to safeguard Chile's national security.
From the government alliance, the Socialist Party proposes condemning the U.S. intervention as a violation of non-intervention and sovereignty principles, rejecting any foreign control over Venezuela. The Communist Party is preparing its own project; its bloc leader, Lorena Pizarro, defended Maduro as the 'president in office of Venezuela' and avoided further debates: 'We are not going to enter into another discussion'.
The Broad Front opts for an agreement project, despite warnings from the Chamber's board, labeling the U.S. action as an 'attack.' Its bloc leader, Jaime Sáez, stated: 'What we have here is an aggression by a foreign power and beyond Venezuela's own political situation, that country must resolve its internal affairs without interference from foreign powers'.
Facing parliamentary pressure, Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren appeared before the Foreign Relations committees of the Senate and Chamber. In the Senate, accompanied by Undersecretary Gloria de la Fuente, he described the intervention as 'an unprecedented situation in South America,' with a 'selective objective' to remove Maduro without dismantling chavismo. He spoke of a 'controlled power transition' and outlined possible scenarios: chavismo continuity, a chavista transitional government, or opposition leadership like Edmundo González, the 2024 election winner. However, he warned that 'a peaceful internal transition is not guaranteed,' given the chavista elite's hold on power and the opposition's limited role.
In the Chamber, Van Klaveren reiterated Chile's principles in international law: 'We have always adhered to the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, the proscription of the use of force, the validity of the non-intervention principle. We have also supported the principle of self-determination.' He concluded: 'What would make us happy is that a real process of transition to democracy could be unleashed (...), but that is not what we are seeing at this moment'.
