ReutersVenezuela’s authorities says opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has left the nation and sought asylum in Spain.
Mr Gonzalez has been in hiding and the federal government issued an arrest warrant for him after the opposition disputed the outcomes of July’s presidential election, which the government-controlled Nationwide Electoral Council (CNE) declared Nicolas Maduro the winner.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez stated on social media: “Just a few days in the past, González Urrutia requested political asylum from the Spanish authorities after taking voluntary refuge on the Spanish Embassy in Caracas. .
She added that Caracas had granted him secure passage and he had left.
Spanish Overseas Minister José Manuel Alvarez stated Mr Gonzalez left the nation on a Spanish air pressure aircraft at his personal request.
He added that the Spanish authorities is dedicated to safeguarding the political rights of all Venezuelans.
Venezuela has been within the grip of a political disaster since authorities declared President Maduro the winner of the July 28 election.
The opposition claims they’ve proof that Gonzalez received by a slim margin and has uploaded detailed vote counts on-line that present Gonzalez convincingly defeated Maduro.
Many nations, together with america, the European Union and several other Latin American nations, refused to acknowledge President Maduro because the winner with out Caracas releasing detailed voting figures.
President Maduro’s authorities has detained greater than 2,400 individuals for the reason that election, creating what the United Nations calls a “local weather of concern.”
ReutersMr. Gonzalez has been in hiding since July 30, ignoring three consecutive summonses to seem in courtroom. He fears he might be arrested after main authorities politicians issued statements saying he must be “jailed”.
The 75-year-old was not extensively identified earlier than the principle opposition coalition registered him as a candidate in March.
The opposition’s preliminary alternative for president was the charismatic Maria Corina Machado, who received the open primaries with 93% of the vote.
However when her efforts to overturn a ban barring her from working for workplace have been rebuffed by government-controlled authorities, the opposition was compelled to seek out different candidates.
The opposition raised Mr Gonzalez’s title after one other opposition candidate was additionally banned.
The opposition saved Mr Gonzalez within the background amid fears he too may be barred from working, whereas Ms Machado traveled throughout the nation urging individuals to vote for him.
On election night time, Mr Gonzalez appeared alongside María Corina Machado to dispute the CNE’s announcement that Mr Maduro had received with 52% of the vote.
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