Caracas (Capital of Venezuela): Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez has left the country, traveling to Spain, according to his lawyer and Venezuela’s Vice President. His departure follows an arrest warrant accusing him of terrorism and conspiracy related to the disputed July presidential election.
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said in a statement that opposition citizen Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who had been a voluntary refugee at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Caracas for several days, has left the country and requested political asylum from that government.
Rodriguez noted that Venezuela allowed Gonzalez to leave “for the sake of the tranquility and political peace of the country.”
Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, confirmed Gonzalez’s arrival, stating that Gonzalez traveled on a Spanish Air Force plane at his request. “The Government of Spain is committed to the political rights and physical integrity of all Venezuelans,” Albares posted on X.
Gonzalez had ignored multiple summons to appear before prosecutors during an investigation into the contested election results. While Venezuela’s electoral authority declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner with 51% of the vote, opposition tallies showed a resounding victory for Gonzalez. The opposition, along with several Latin American leaders, refused to acknowledge Maduro’s victory, leading to widespread protests and numerous arrests.
The United States has since demanded that Venezuela release data concerning the election amid concerns about its legitimacy and has also taken steps such as seizing a Venezuelan plane tied to sanctions violations.
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