Venezuela's opposition leader flees to Spain, claims asylum
Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the opposition candidate for Venezuela's presidency, fled to Spain, where he obtained asylum. The politician had been hiding since the opposition challenged the results of the presidential election on July 28. However, according to many countries, he was the actual winner.
After the July 28 election, the regime declared Nicolas Maduro the winner without presenting any evidence. Conversely, the opposition published reports from electoral commissions showing a significant victory for Gonzalez.
The USA, European Union countries, and some South American nations also recognize Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner. Following the announcement of the election results, the country saw numerous protests.
Gonzalez was pursued by the country's justice system after failing to appear at the prosecutor's office three times during an investigation into "acts of electoral sabotage."
Former presidential candidate of Venezuela obtained asylum in Spain
González has left the country and requested political asylum, informed Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, as quoted by the Associated Press.
AP reports that the Venezuelan Vice President indicated that just a few days after an arrest warrant was issued, the government decided to grant Gonzalez Urrutia safe passage out of the country "for the sake of the tranquility and political peace of the country."
These reports were confirmed by the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares. "Edmundo Gonzalez departed from Caracas to Spain on a Spanish Air Force plane" – he wrote, adding that his country responded to the request of the Venezuelan opposition leader. Gonzalez arrived in Madrid accompanied by his wife.
According to the Reuters agency, cited by PAP, Spanish officials, including former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, conducted week-long negotiations with Venezuelan authorities regarding Gonzalez's departure from the country.
"Today is a sad day for democracy in Venezuela" stated Josep Borrell, responsible for the EU's foreign policy. "In a democracy, no political leader should be forced to seek asylum in another country," he added.
