Venezuela, opposition candidate Gonzalez takes refuge in Spain after arrest warrant

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has left the country for Spain, after an arrest warrant was issued last week charging him with terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes related to the disputed July 28 presidential election.

“After voluntarily taking refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas a few days ago, (González Urrutia) requested political asylum from the Spanish government,” Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on social media, explaining that Venezuela “granted him the necessary safe conduct in the interest of political peace and the tranquility of the country.”

González, recognized as the winner by the United States and about 20 Latin American countries, flew to Spain aboard a Spanish Air Force plane “at his request,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said. “The government of Madrid is committed to guaranteeing the political rights and physical integrity of all Venezuelans,” he wrote in X.

Contested elections

Maduro, in power since 2013, secured a third term in the disputed election after the country’s electoral authority, made up of government loyalists, declared him the winner. But the government has not provided any concrete data on the vote. The opposition instead claims the victory of the former diplomat González and enjoys the support of other countries in the region and the United States.

Since the vote, police have cracked down on anti-Maduro protesters. The rights NGO Provea said 25 people have died so far and more than 2,400 have been arrested.