(Bloomberg) -- Chile’s government is demanding that Venezuela collaborate in the investigation of a murdered refugee amid signs the killing was politically motivated, testing ties between the two nations.

The kidnapping and murder earlier this year of Ronald Ojeda, a former member of Venezuela’s Armed Forces, is of the “utmost seriousness,” Interior Minister Carolina Toha told reporters on Friday. The government has the right to demand that all those involved be sent to Chile to face justice, she said.

“This is also important for Venezuela,” Toha said. “The eyes of the world will be watching how it acts. And, as a country, we are going to make sure of it.”

Following her remarks, Venezuela’s Public Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said Friday on X that his office will respond to a request from Chile of information on four persons related to the case and of information on Ojeda. This will be followed by the search and detention of suspects, he added. 

Ojeda fled from Venezuela in 2017 after being arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro and was given refugee status in Chile in 2023. He was kidnapped February 21 from his apartment in Santiago by people disguised as security agents. The discovery of his body in a suitcase under a cement structure days later prompted government pledges for a probe.

Read more: Chile Pledges to Investigate Death of Kidnapped Venezuelan

Venezuela’s willingness to help has to be demonstrated in concrete actions, Toha said. “We will demand that Venezuela fulfill its responsibilities,” she said.

Relations between Chile and Venezuela have hit a rough patch in recent days. This week, Chilean President Gabriel Boric recalled his country’s ambassador in Caracas for consultations after Venezuela’s foreign affairs minister said the criminal organization Tren de Aragua doesn’t exist, adding that people in videos of alleged gang members have Chilean and Peruvian accents.

Read more: Lawmakers Urge Biden to Label Venezuela Gang as Criminal Group

Several Venezuelan citizens were also arrested in Chile for their alleged role in the murder of a police officer this week. One of those detained has had a deportation order since 2020, local media reported.

(Updates with comments from Venezuela Public Prosecutor on fourth paragraph.)

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