Edmundo Gonzalez, facing multiple charges in Venezuela, has been granted safe passage out of the country
Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, the main challenger to President Nicolas Maduro in the recent presidential election, has departed for Spain, where he is expected to receive political asylum.
The 75-year-old politician was flown out of the country on a Spanish Air Force aircraft on Sunday. Gonzalez had previously sought political asylum in Spain, and Madrid has confirmed it will “obviously” grant his request, according to Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.
Caracas has stated its agreement to allow the politician’s safe passage abroad, despite his facing several criminal charges, citing the need for “tranquility and political peace within the country,” according to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. Prior to the arrangement for his departure, the politician had been residing at the Spanish embassy as a “voluntary refugee,” for an unspecified duration, she noted in a statement.
Gonzalez went into hiding shortly after the July presidential election. Official figures released by the National Electoral Council indicated Maduro won with 52% of the vote. However, the opposition has alleged electoral fraud, asserting that Gonzalez was the rightful victor with approximately 67% of the ballots.
The opposition candidate was supported by the US, as well as the EU and several other countries that declined to recognize Maduro’s victory. Conversely, nations including China and Russia backed the elected president and acknowledged the election results.
Earlier in September, Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest warrant for the opposition figure, accusing Gonzalez of various crimes, including inciting disobedience to laws, forging public documents, usurping public functions, conspiracy, criminal association, and sabotage.
This development comes amidst the situation of six Venezuelan opposition figures who remain at the Argentine embassy in Caracas, surrounded by local security forces. Diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Argentina were severed immediately following the presidential election, as Buenos Aires challenged the election outcome.
Brazil has been managing the embassy grounds, authorized to represent Argentina’s interests in the country. However, Caracas revoked this authorization on Saturday, claiming evidence that the embassy was being used as a base for an alleged plan to attempt “magnicide”: an attack on Maduro or Rodriguez. Caracas has not provided details about the evidence it obtained, while Brazil has expressed surprise at the decision and emphasized its continued intention to represent Argentina’s interests.
“The Brazilian government underscores, in this context and under the terms of the Vienna Conventions, the inviolability of the facilities of the Argentine diplomatic mission, which currently houses six Venezuelan asylum seekers in addition to assets and archives,” the Brazilian authorities stated.