Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González stated that he was compelled to acknowledge President Nicolás Maduro as the winner of July’s contentious election in order to secure asylum in Spain. In a video message, González recounted that Maduro’s aides pressured him to sign a letter while he was sheltered in the Spanish embassy in Caracas earlier this month. However, Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and a close ally of Maduro, contended that González signed the letter willingly.
Video message
Electoral authorities loyal to Maduro declared him the victor in the election, a claim disputed by González and many in the international community. In his video message from Madrid, González mentioned that Maduro’s aides had presented him with the letter, asserting that he had to sign it or face serious repercussions. He described the experience as marked by intense coercion, blackmail, and pressure, and indicated that he believed he could be more effective as a free individual than if he were incarcerated, ultimately labeling the signed letter as inconsequential.
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Having been granted asylum in Spain, González referred to himself as the president-elect of countless Venezuelans who voted for change, democracy, and peace, promising to fulfill that mandate. After González’s remarks, Rodríguez showed the letter and claimed it was signed voluntarily. At a press conference in Caracas, he gave González 24 hours to retract his statements, threatening to release audio recordings that would contradict González’s assertions. Rodríguez questioned how, if González had signed under duress, one of his daughters could still live peacefully in Venezuela with her family, emphasizing that all Venezuelans deserve a place in the country without violence or fascism.
Arrest warrant against Edmundo Gonzále
He also displayed photographs of an alleged meeting involving himself, Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, and González at the Spanish embassy on the eve of González’s departure. Prior to his exit to Spain, a Venezuelan judge had issued an arrest warrant for González, accusing him of conspiracy and document forgery, among other serious allegations, which González denied.
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) reported that Maduro won 52% of the votes in the July 28 elections, with González receiving 43%. Conversely, the opposition asserted they possessed evidence that González had won by a significant margin, sharing detailed voting tallies online that suggested a convincing victory over Maduro. The U.S., EU, and most foreign governments have refused to recognize Maduro as the winner unless Caracas discloses comprehensive voting data to validate the results. The CNE claimed it could not release the voting records due to data corruption by hackers.
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