Maduro’s Main Rival Edmundo Gonzalez Flees To Spain As Diplomatic Tensions Rise | What’s Happening In Venezuela?
Venezuela’s former presidential opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has fled the country and is seeking refuge in Spain. Gonzalez’s exit from Venezuela comes days after President Nicolas Maduro issued an arrest warrant for the opposition candidate.
In light of Venezuela’s disputed elections held in July, tensions in the Latin American country have been high and have boiled over to an extent where Caracas has cut off diplomatic ties with other Latin American countries.
On Saturday, the 75-year-old left Venezuela and filed an asylum request with Spain. As per Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, Gonzalez, left after “voluntarily seeking refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas several days ago.”
Venezuela Tensions: Opposition Candidate Flees Country
The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares confirmed on X that the opposition candidate had left Venezuela on Sunday on a Spanish Air Force plane.
Tensions continue to remain high in Venezuela after the disputed election results paved a third term for Nicolas Maduro.
Despite Venezuelans, the opposition and countries such as the US, EU and neighbouring Latin American countries criticising the results, the election body and Venezuela’s top court confirmed that Maduro won the vote.
Gonzalez and the opposition claimed that the their victory was stolen from then as they published tallies online alleging the Gonzalez had won the presidential vote.