Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González has fled the country and sought asylum in Spain, according to the Venezuelan government. González, who had been in hiding since the disputed July presidential election, reportedly sought refuge at the Spanish embassy in Caracas before his departure on a Spanish Air Force plane.
Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed on social media that González had voluntarily sought asylum and that Caracas had granted him safe passage. Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares affirmed that González had left Venezuela at his own request and stressed Spain’s commitment to protecting the political rights of Venezuelans.
A lawyer for González confirmed his departure but offered no further details. Meanwhile, Venezuelan security forces have surrounded the Argentine embassy in Caracas, where six other political opponents of President Nicolás Maduro are sheltering. The Venezuelan foreign ministry has accused them of plotting terrorist acts.
The crisis in Venezuela deepened after the government declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 election, a result contested by the opposition, which claims evidence shows González won by a significant margin. The U.S., EU, and several Latin American nations have not recognized Maduro’s victory, demanding detailed voting data.
Since the election, over 2,400 people have been detained, creating what the UN describes as a “climate of fear.” González, who emerged as the opposition’s candidate in March after other candidates were barred, had been targeted by the government for alleged conspiracy and document forgery.
The opposition’s initial choice, María Corina Machado, had to step aside due to a ban imposed by the government. The opposition then rallied behind González, who appeared with Machado on election night to contest the CNE’s announcement of Maduro’s 52% victory.