Gallo’s release from Venezuelan custody did not end his focus on a wider group of foreigners still detained at Rodeo I, according to statements he made during a news briefing in Buenos Aires on March 4. The Argentine military police officer, freed after spending 448 days in detention, told reporters that he could not consider himself free while 24 other foreign nationals remain held in the prison.
Speaking alongside Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno and other high-ranking officials, Gallo said, “My mind is still in prison.” He urged the international community to continue working toward the release of the 24 people he said are still in Rodeo I, describing his own mindset as tied to their captivity.
Quirno thanked Argentina’s allies, including the United States, Italy and Israel, for their help in securing Gallo’s release, framing the outcome as the result of international engagement as well as Argentina’s diplomatic efforts. Gallo’s remarks came after his release Sunday, when he returned to Argentina after detention that began in December 2024.
Argentina’s case against him began with his detention, the Argentine Foreign Ministry said, on Dec. 8, 2024 while he was on leave to visit his family. The officer was stationed in Mendoza, Argentina, at the time, and he was arrested on espionage charges, according to Argentina.
Venezuela’s account of the detention differed sharply. Venezuela’s attorney general at the time, Tarek William Saab, said Gallo “had attempted to enter Venezuelan territory irregularly,” and Saab accused him of “concealing his true criminal plan under the guise of a romantic visit.” Saab also accused Gallo of being linked to “international far-right groups,” according to the AP report.
Argentina’s government, however, said Gallo traveled to visit his partner, who is Venezuelan, and their son. In his briefing, Gallo did not directly address those competing narratives, but he also did not use the moment to disclose everything he said he has experienced in detention.
Hours before the briefing, an Argentine federal judge summoned Gallo to testify as a witness in a case investigating alleged crimes against humanity attributed to the government of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, AP reported. The summons, issued by Judge Sebastián Ramos and obtained by AP, said Gallo “could contribute his knowledge of the events under investigation, which were reported to have been carried out by the Venezuelan state apparatus.”
Asked about what comes next, Gallo did not mention the summons during the news briefing. He also did not signal whether he intends to testify, requesting instead “time and patience from the press,” and he said he is still not ready to reveal everything he experienced. Gallo said, “I still can’t talk about the atrocities they committed,” AP reported.