Brazil had agreed to take care of Argentina’s interests in Venezuela at the request of its neighbour and the Brazilian flag was raised over the ambassador’s residence on Thursday.

Argentina’s diplomats were expelled by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after Buenos Aires criticised his proclaimed re-election in a vote last weekend – a result the opposition disputes. They should leave the country on Thursday.

“Brazil has asked for protection for the Argentine embassy, and Maduro agreed to that,” a Brazilian diplomat said.

Brazil will mediate on issues regarding Argentine citizens in Venezuela, the main one being the status of six Venezuelan opposition leaders who sought asylum in the Argentine embassy.

In March, aides to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado requested asylum at the embassy after a local prosecutor issued arrest warrants against them for conspiracy.

Machado, who has denied any allegations of misconduct by her team, was blocked from being a candidate in the presidential election despite being the front-runner in polls. She is not one of the six asylum seekers.

It was not immediately clear what would happen to them, the Brazilian diplomat said.