AN ARGENTINE POLICEMAN arrested in Venezuela will be charged with “terrorism” according to the country’s prosecutor, hiking tensions between Caracas and Buenos Aires.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei has called Venezuela’s December 8 arrest and ongoing detention of Nahuel Agustin Gallo an “abduction.”

Venezuelan chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab said in a statement that Gallo was being investigated for allegedly belonging to “a group of people who attempted to carry out a series of destabilizing and terrorist actions from our territory and with the support of international far-right groups.”

Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein told reporters that the allegations were “a big lie” and called Saab’s conduct “absolutely illegitimate.”

Gallo’s mother, Griselda Heredia, said at the same news conference that her son “did nothing illegal.”

The Argentine government said Gallo, a corporal in his country’s gendarmerie, traveled to Venezuela from Colombia to see his girlfriend and their child and spend year-end holidays with them.

Argentina’s Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said that Gallo “entered Venezuela in a completely legal manner and what was not legal was the way in which he was kidnapped at the border.”

In response, Saab said in another statement that Bullrich and Werthein “have been identified as persons of interest in the investigation” after what he described as “incriminating statements.”

Milei has railed against the arrest, and called Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a “criminal dictator.”

Gallo is unable to get consular visits because Venezuela in July kicked out diplomatic staff from Argentina and six other Latin American countries after their governments questioned Maduro’s re-election in disputed elections.

Security at Argentina’s embassy in Caracas has been ensured by Brazil. Venezuela in September revoked that arrangement, but Brasilia said it was continuing.

In March, before Argentina’s diplomats left, six Venezuelan opposition figures entered the embassy to escape “terrorism” accusations. Five of them remain inside.

© Agence France-Presse