Last Updated on 09/09/2024 by Arun jain
The Venezuelan opposition leader fled to Spain on Sunday, where he has been granted political asylum.
Edmundo González Urrutia arrived in Madrid at 4.30pm local time on a Spanish Air Force plane.
The 75-year-old has been in hiding since elections were held in Venezuela in July Government crackdown on opposition figures Following soon.
Rights groups say Venezuelan authorities are committed Widespread violations against critics, including arbitrary arrests and violence against them.
The judge issued the order on September 2 Arrest warrant against Mr. Gonzalez He disputed the election result for “conspiracy,” “incitement to disobedience” and other crimes.
Mr. Gonzalez fled to the Dutch embassy, where he sought refuge for more than a month before staying at the home of the Spanish ambassador. Before the July 28 election, Mr Gonzalez was a political unknown, but he was the only person to run against Nicolas Maduro after the government banned all other opposition candidates.
Socialist government of Venezuela announced that Mr Maduro had won a third six-year mandate with 52 per cent of the vote, but had not yet published official results. Venezuela’s opposition’s own figures show Mr González won with 67 per cent of the vote.
The US, the EU and key Latin American governments have refused to recognize Mr Maduro’s claim of victory. Mass protests have led to at least 27 deaths and 2,400 arrests.
Jose Manuel Albarez, the Spanish foreign minister, told reporters that Spain had responded positively to Mr. Gonzalez’s asylum request and denied that Madrid had negotiated the move with the Venezuelan government.
Speaking on Saturday before Mr Gonzalez went into exile, Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish prime minister, described the retired diplomat as “a hero that Spain will not leave”.
However, right-wing politicians criticized the move.
“Bringing Edmundo Gonzalez here without recognizing him as the legitimate president does not favor democracy, but removes the problem for the dictatorship,” said People’s Party spokesman Esteban Gonzalez Ponce, who will push for a vote on recognition. . Mr. Gonzalez as the leader of Venezuela.
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