INTERNATIONAL – Forced to pack up. Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who is being prosecuted after challenging the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro on July 28, is heading to Spain this Sunday, September 8, which has granted him asylum. The Latin American country has been plunged into a political crisis since Nicolas Maduro’s highly contested victory in the presidential election.
“At his request, Edmundo Gonzalez flies to Spain on board a Spanish Air Force plane. The Spanish government is committed to respecting the political rights and physical integrity of all Venezuelans.”Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on social media.
“Safe conduct”
The opponent for the party Democratic United Platformwho had been living in hiding for over a month, had been the subject of an arrest warrant since September 3 for failing to appear at three summonses from the public prosecutor’s office for “disobedience to the laws”, “conspiracy”, “usurpation of functions” » and “sabotage” while the opposition and many observers consider justice to be at the beck and call of those in power.
Venezuelan authorities announced on Saturday that they had granted safe conduct to the opponent “in the interest of peace” in the country. “After taking voluntary refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas a few days ago, he requested political asylum from the Spanish government.”Vice President Delcy Rodriguez wrote on social media. “Venezuela has granted the necessary safe conducts in the interest of peace and political tranquility in the country”she said.
“I confirm that he left for Spain”Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia’s lawyer, Jose Vicente Haro, told AFP, saying he could not comment further. According to a source close to the opposition, he left Venezuela with his wife, Mercedes.
Political crisis
Former ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, 75, had agreed at short notice to replace opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as candidate, who had been declared ineligible.
Nicolas Maduro, whose victory was validated by the Supreme Court on August 22, was declared the winner with 52% of the vote by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which has not made public the minutes of the polling stations, saying it was the victim of a computer hack. Such a computer attack is considered implausible by the opposition and many observers, who see it as a maneuver by the government to avoid disclosing the exact count.
After the announcement of his re-election on July 28, spontaneous demonstrations broke out, leaving 27 dead and 192 injured, while some 2,400 people were arrested, according to official sources.
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