From the exile of the Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González, Spain has become the epicenter of the fight for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela. Congress and the Senate recognized González as president-elect, a position that was echoed by the European Parliament on Thursday.
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EL TIEMPO spoke with Juan Pablo García, a former Venezuelan deputy in exile who was part of the delegation that was in the Spanish Senate promoting González’s recognition.
For the former deputy, who fled Venezuela in 2019 after threats from the Government, the international community is convinced of the steps to follow. He assures that Gustavo Petro himself should align himself in recognizing Edmundo González’s victory because “it is not a question of ideologies but of humanity and human rights.”
How did the Spanish Senate manage to recognise Edmundo González as the elected president of Venezuela?
Just like what happened last week in Congress, the recognition of Edmundo González was approved by a vote of 149 votes in favor, but it also asks that human rights be respected and tells the Government of Pedro Sánchez that it must recognize Edmundo González as the elected president of the Venezuelans.
Thanks to all the factions that voted in favour and stood by the truth of what happened in Venezuela. This will help us to achieve the same in the European Parliament because here it is about awareness, sensitivity, and being humanitarian with Venezuela, where There is an economic, social and political crisis, but there is persecution, where atrocious crimes are being committed.
In its report, the United Nations again says that repression continues and that crimes against humanity continue to be committed, therefore What happened in Spain in the Senate will continue to happen in parliaments around the world.
What guarantees that the European Parliament can recognise Edmundo González?
The votes are in. The factions have talked and have expressed their willingness to recognize González Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela. It is the most sensible thing to do and I believe that the world is changing. I believe that politicians, Europeans are aware of what is happening in Venezuela, which is a barbarity that has not ceased.that crimes against humanity continue to be committed, that the will of the citizens that was expressed on July 28 is being violated and an attempt is being made to steal it, and this is a very serious crime and that The democrats of the world must face up to the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia.
You are part of the exile. How can the diaspora and you politicians in exile leverage Spain and other countries to maneuver to restore democracy in Venezuela?
Venezuelans within the country have done the work, they continue to do it and will continue to do it. We cast our votes, people went to vote without fear and showed the world that they were tired of tyranny. Against all odds, with the obstacles that there were, because it was an atypical election and yet we went and won and there is the proof.
Those of us who are outside, persecuted, those who left Venezuela seeking a quality of life, a future, looking for a way to stay alive, are also doing the work and we are precisely before the institutions, before the international organizations, denouncing and calling on the international community to pay attention, to not abandon us, to accompany us in this fight, that we have to continue insisting that Edmundo González be recognized as the elected president of the Venezuelans.
What can the international community do for Venezuela?
It is very important, not only the international community, also calling on international bodies to act, such as the International Criminal Court to expedite cases of crimes against humanity where Nicolás Maduro and his chain of command are involved and should be charged so that this process can be expedited so that they can be held accountable before justice. I believe that both international justice and universal justice have arrived and the time has come for them to put an end to this. That is why the presence of the diaspora is very important, of those 8,000,000 citizens who are outside the country who are also denouncing and carrying the message to the international community and to all international organizations that they cannot leave us alone.
Regarding the future of Edmundo González, how feasible is it that on January 10 Edmundo González will assume the presidency in Venezuela and not in exile?
Everything indicates that there is an aligned international community that seeks to respect the popular will And when you see the statements of the European countries, of the countries in America, you see the statements even of those who were their allies until yesterday and many who continue to be their allies but who do not agree with this, I can tell you that today everything is very different from before.
But what’s different about it?
Edmundo González Urrutia is the product of a popular election, he is the product of a vote where he won by a landslide, Therefore, that will cannot be easily stolen. That will has an impact on democratic countries that recognize that the popular will of the sovereign cannot be violated or dealt a blow. I have no doubt, given the latest events, that on January 10 Edmundo González will be sworn in as President of the Republic. and as commander in chief of the National Armed Forces.
What role should Colombia take from now on?
The most sensible thing for a person who claims to be a democrat and defends human rights is to recognize Edmundo González Urrutia As president, that is what Gustavo Petro should do as president of the Colombians because Maduro is not going to show the minutes, and the minutes that were published are the minutes issued by the CNE, they are official minutes, there is no turning back.
What Petro and his team have to do is tighten their pants and recognize Edmundo Gonzalo Urrutia. I think he’s going to have to do it in the end.
Even if that means breaking relations with Nicolás Maduro?
But if relations with Maduro are broken, it will be for a very short time because Maduro must hand over his government on January 10. It is a matter of not imposing personal interests over the interests of citizens, of human rights, because it is not a problem of right or left ideology, it is a problem of human rights, they are killing people, there are 8,000,000 million of us outside our country and what is coming for Colombia, for Brazil, for America and for the world is that it is a country that can be emptied and that is also a problem for sister countries like Colombia and for the security of the continent.
Moving on to another topic, the Chavistas showed a letter signed by Edmundo González in which he recognizes the Chavista institutions in order to obtain his safe conduct. How can this be explained to the international community?
Everything is clear. Edmundo said it and his lawyer said it too. We all know it and the international community knows it: Everything that you can obtain by coercion does not exist, it is null, of absolute nullity. This is a sign of desperation on the part of Chavismo in the face of the imminent loss of power. It is a crime to coerce someone into doing anything. For us, that does not exist and for the international community, that does not exist because the truth is what happened on July 28 and there is no coercion that can do anything against that, and Edmundo has confirmed this today, that he will not betray the popular will.
What are your next actions in Madrid?
We continue to send the message to the international community, we continue to send the message to the international institutions and organizations, to the International Criminal Court, that it is time to act.
Ana Maria Rodriguez Brazon – Weather correspondent – Caracas
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