Venezuela accuses Peru of 'kidnapping' national football team

According to AFP, the diplomatic tension occurred after the two teams drew 1-1 in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match, which took place in the Peruvian capital Lima on the evening of November 21. Venezuelan players accused Peruvian police of beating them when they went to greet fans after the match.

After the flight carrying the Venezuelan players home was delayed on November 22, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said that Peru had committed "another arbitrary act against Venezuela by preventing the refueling of the plane carrying the team home".

"This is a kidnapping in retaliation for our team's excellent performance," said Mr. Gil.

However, nearly four hours after its original scheduled departure time, the Rutaca plane finally took off. The company that operates Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport said the delay “occurred for purely administrative reasons related to fuel supply.”

Mr Gil confirmed that the team was "returning safely to Caracas" after the Peruvian government ordered fuel supplies.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that "the xenophobia of the apartheid government in Peru targeted our esteemed team. Venezuela has spoken out against xenophobia, violence and aggression".

Venezuela cáo buộc Peru bài ngoại, 'bắt cóc' đội tuyển bóng đá nam quốc gia - Ảnh 1. — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

The match on 21 November marked another chaotic night in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in South America, after the match between Brazil and Argentina in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) saw serious clashes between fans.

Venezuelan player Nahuel Ferraresi had earlier shown his bandaged right arm and said Peruvian police had "beaten me". "These things should not have happened. The game is over and we came to thank the Venezuelan supporters," he said.

Ferraresi said another player had given his shirt to the fans, and he was about to throw his shirt into the crowd when he was stopped by police.

"Then the others got angry, I don't know what happened and (the police) took batons to beat us. They hit me twice... but the injuries were not serious," he said.

Videos of the incident showing Peruvian police swinging batons at players have gone viral on social media. The Venezuelan Football Federation condemned the “discriminatory and xenophobic acts” against the team and its fans.

After the match, Peru finished last in qualifying, while Venezuela - a country that has never qualified for a World Cup - finished fourth.

Before the match, Peruvian police carried out unusual identity checks on fans, allegedly targeting Venezuelans.

The move comes a week after a controversial decree came into effect allowing the Peruvian government to deport foreigners. Peru is home to about 1.5 million Venezuelan immigrants.

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