The defendants were ordered to stay away from Venezuelan officials and 10 diplomatic properties.
By Marissa J. Lang and Marissa J. Lang Local reporter focused on D.C. area news Email Bio Follow Spencer S. Hsu Spencer S. Hsu Investigative reporter Email Bio Follow May 17 at 6:44 PM Four activists who were forcibly removed from the Venezuelan Embassy after living there for more than a month were released from jail Friday after appearing in federal court on a misdemeanor charge of interfering with State Department diplomatic protective functions.
At the activists’ initial court appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey of the District released the defendants on personal recognizance, on condition they stay away from designated Venezuelan officials and representatives, 10 diplomatic properties and obtain preapproval for foreign travel.
Code Pink, the left-wing activist group known for its theatrical and provocative protests that frequently result in arrests, had been invited to bring its members into the embassy in early April by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who tasked the group with “protecting” the building from U.S. forces or Guaidó’s interim government.
“We will have our day in court and we think we will be victorious,” Zeese said. “That’s the only night in jail they’re going to get from us.” Carlos Ron, deputy foreign minister for the Maduro government, echoed that sentiment in a Thursday tweet, calling U.S. officials entering the building “an unlawful breach of the Vienna Convention,” the international treaty that created a legal framework for diplomacy between countries.
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