The Maduro government is celebrating the release of 12 flight crew members arrested in Argentina

Cesar Perez, president of state-owned Emtrasur, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s Confederation of Aeronautical Industries and Air Services (Conviasa), celebrated on Tuesday the release of 12 of the 19 crew members of a Venezuelan-Iranian flight in Argentina. In early June. While the remaining 7 await release, he described it as “progress”.

This Tuesday, an appeals chamber in Argentina allowed the departure of 12 flight attendants, the subject of an investigation into possible links to international terrorism.

In an interview with Telesure, Perez revealed that he was satisfied with the decision, but “it is not the final goal” because he hopes to immediately release the entire crew and return the plane.

“In a very short period of time, 11 of the top 12 were Venezuelan and one was Iranian. “We have good expectations, lawyers are telling us, that the rest of the crew should be back in a short period of time,” he said.

He said he would continue to “fight” to recover the plane, which is owned by Emtrasure, a company sanctioned by the US Treasury Department.

The flight took place in Argentina

For her part, the flight attendants’ lawyer, Mariana Barbita, told Telesure that the other 3 Venezuelans who were part of the group should stay in Argentina and that the court should wait 10 business days to rule on their situation.

However, he said this first group exit was a “very important decision” by the Appeals Chamber.

“We are very happy with this decision and of course we will appeal and discuss the care of the three Venezuelans who should stay in Argentina,” he said.

The plane under investigation entered Argentina from Mexico on June 6, stopped in Venezuela, left for Uruguay two days later to refuel, but landed back in the southern nation after the neighboring country refused to allow it to land.

It was reported that Argentine oil companies did not refuel the plane due to fear of US sanctions, and later on June 11, the Argentine government ordered the plane to land.