Venezuela’s opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Thursday, just four days after fleeing to Spain under a negotiated agreement with Nicolás Maduro’s government.
González’s departure to exile—after spending weeks seeking refuge in the embassies of the Netherlands and Spain in Caracas—was a significant setback for millions who had hoped in his opposition campaign.
His supporters in Venezuela and internationally, along with the United States government, view him as the legitimate winner of the July 28 presidential election.
Spain welcomes Edmundo González
Sánchez, who was traveling in China when González arrived, shared a video of their meeting on the social media platform X. In the video, they are seen walking together in the gardens of the Moncloa Palace in Madrid.
According to Sánchez’s post, Spain has welcomed González as a demonstration of its “humanitarian commitment and solidarity with Venezuelans.”
On Wednesday, the Spanish Parliament approved a proposal from the conservative Popular Party, urging Sánchez’s left-wing coalition government to recognize the opposition leader as Venezuela’s elected president. This motion is non-binding.
Spain’s government aligns with the European Union’s position, which demands that Maduro release the raw polling results before the EU recognizes a winner.
The European Parliament is scheduled to debate the outcome of the Venezuelan elections on Tuesday in Strasbourg, France.
Strain in relations between Madrid and Caracas
González’s arrival has further strained relations between Madrid and Caracas. On Wednesday, Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, called for “the immediate rupture of all diplomatic relations, of all commercial relations.”
Rodríguez requested that all representatives of the Spanish government delegation leave and that Venezuela send its own representatives. He also demanded “the immediate closure of all commercial activities of Spanish companies.”
González, who previously served as Venezuela’s ambassador to Argentina under the late Hugo Chávez, arrived on Sunday at a military airport near Madrid aboard a Spanish military plane.
Following the election, González and the Venezuelan opposition’s de facto leader, María Corina Machado, went into hiding as security forces detained over 2,000 individuals—many of them young Venezuelans—who protested Maduro’s alleged election theft.
Edmundo González expressed gratitude to Spanish government
With his move into exile, González joins a growing number of opposition figures who once resisted Maduro but have sought asylum abroad amid a severe crackdown. In Spain, he joins at least four former presidential candidates who were imprisoned or faced arrest for opposing Maduro’s regime.
Gonzalez departure from the country occurred despite facing “coercion and threats” that he would not be allowed to leave, though he did not specify who made these threats. In an audio message shared by his press team, he expressed his belief that “very soon, we will continue the fight for freedom and democracy in Venezuela,” and he thanked his supporters for their messages of solidarity.
Later, Gonzalez mentioned that he decided to leave “thinking of Venezuela and that our destiny as a country cannot, should not, be one of a conflict of pain and suffering.”
He also expressed gratitude to the Spanish government for providing protection and called for ongoing political dialogue within Venezuela.
Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, informed CNN on Sunday that authorities will close the case against Gonzalez following his departure.
He stated that, along with Gonzalez’s lawyer, they would determine the form, time, and place for the judicial closure of the case.
Crisis in Venezuela
Venezuela has been in crisis since the election, where the authoritarian incumbent Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner by the country’s electoral authority, which was reportedly biased, with 51% of the vote.
However, opposition tallies indicated a decisive victory for Gonzalez. The opposition and several Latin American leaders did not recognize Maduro’s victory, leading to deadly protests and numerous arrests.
In a statement on Sunday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken noted that Gonzalez’s departure was “the direct result of the anti-democratic measures.”
He remarked that the election results and the will of the people cannot be disregarded by Maduro and the Venezuelan electoral authorities, and he supported Gonzalez’s call to continue the struggle for liberty and democracy in Venezuela.
The day before, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez stated that Gonzalez “has left the country and requested political asylum” from Spain.
She mentioned that Gonzalez had been residing at Spain’s embassy in Caracas as a “voluntary refugee,” and Venezuela allowed his departure “for the sake of tranquility and political peace.”
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares indicated that Gonzalez was “at his own request” flying to Spain on a Spanish Air Force plane. He added that the Spanish government is dedicated to the political rights and physical safety of all Venezuelans.
The minister’s office did not provide further details on the duration of Gonzalez’s stay at the Spanish embassy.
Defend his life and personal safety
The Dutch foreign ministry revealed on Sunday that Gonzalez had been in the Dutch embassy in Caracas for weeks before moving to the Spanish embassy. He arrived there a day after the July 28 election and stayed until early September.
Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp stated that he decided to offer Gonzalez hospitality at the state residence in Caracas for as long as needed, based on Gonzalez’s urgent request following the elections.
Veldkamp mentioned that Gonzalez announced his intention in early September to leave both the Dutch embassy and Venezuela “to continue his fight from Spain.”
EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that Gonzalez was at the “residence of the Netherlands in Caracas” until September 5.
The Dutch foreign minister highlighted that he emphasized the “importance of the opposition’s work and the transition to democracy” but Gonzalez still expressed his desire to leave and continue his fight from Spain.
Forced into exile
Gonzalez’s lawyer, Jose Vicente Haro, had previously told CNN that his client had not sought refuge in an embassy. However, he later explained that Gonzalez had made different decisions from what he originally intended due to the need to “defend his life and personal safety.”
Haro revealed that the decision to leave Venezuela was made late on Friday after receiving “privileged and confidential information” about potential danger to Gonzalez’s life.
He noted that Gonzalez had only two options: “prison unjustly for crimes he didn’t commit” or “preserve his life” and leave the country.
When asked why Gonzalez chose Spain, Haro suggested it might be because one of Gonzalez’s daughters lives there.
His daughter was seen on Sunday outside the Torrejon de Ardoz military air base in Madrid, following Gonzalez and his wife’s arrival on a Spanish military plane.
The Organization of American States (OAS) stated on Sunday that Gonzalez had effectively been “forced into exile” following an arrest warrant issued by the Venezuelan Prosecutor’s Office last Monday.
The Prosecutor’s Office had accused him of “crimes associated with terrorism” related to the disputed election and said he failed to respond to three summons regarding an investigation into an opposition website that posted contested election results.
When asked about the “coercion and threats” Gonzalez mentioned, Venezuela’s Attorney General stated on Sunday that the pressure and threats came from opposition leader María Corina Machado.
