The Venezuelan government announced Saturday that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who challenged President Nicolas Maduro’s disputed reelection on July 28, has fled the country to seek asylum in Spain. Gonzalez Urrutia had been in hiding for a month, evading three summons from prosecutors, fearing arrest if he attended.
After taking refuge at the Spanish embassy in Caracas, Gonzalez Urrutia requested political asylum from the Spanish government. Venezuela’s vice president confirmed his safe passage, stating that Caracas had agreed to let him leave. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, through a post on social media, confirmed that Gonzalez Urrutia departed on a Spanish military plane, expressing Spain’s commitment to the political rights of all Venezuelans.
Gonzalez Urrutia’s lawyer, Jose Vicente Haro, also confirmed that his client had left for Spain but offered no further details. The opposition candidate’s escape marks a dramatic turn in Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis, which erupted after the July 28 election when authorities declared Maduro the winner.
The opposition has since claimed that it has proof Gonzalez Urrutia won by a wide margin. However, the Venezuelan government has yet to release detailed voting data, drawing widespread skepticism from the international community. Several countries, including the United States, European Union, and numerous Latin American nations, have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory without clearer evidence.
Following the election, Venezuelan prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Gonzalez Urrutia over his claims of victory. Joel Garcia, a lawyer known for defending opposition figures, warned that if Gonzalez Urrutia faced all charges from the government, he could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Venezuelan officials maintain that Maduro won the election with 52 percent of the vote. However, the opposition published its own records, showing Gonzalez Urrutia winning 67 percent. Venezuela’s electoral authority blamed its inability to release full election results on a cyberattack, a claim dismissed by observers who found no evidence of hacking.
The aftermath of the disputed election has been marred by violence, leaving 27 people dead and 192 injured. The government claims to have arrested 2,400 individuals in connection with the unrest.
Gonzalez Urrutia, a retired diplomat, became a last-minute opposition candidate after the leading opposition figure, Maria Corina Machado, was barred from running by state institutions loyal to Maduro.
Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013, secured a third six-year term in the contested election. His leadership has faced accusations of fraud in previous elections, including the 2018 presidential race. Under Maduro’s rule, Venezuela has faced severe economic challenges, including a GDP decline of 80 percent and the emigration of more than seven million citizens.
The Venezuelan government’s confirmation of Gonzalez Urrutia’s departure marks a significant chapter in the nation’s political turmoil, as the opposition continues to question the legitimacy of Maduro’s presidency.
