Edmundo González left Venezuela after receiving political asylum from Spain
Edmundo González Urrutia, a Venezuelan opposition leader, has sought asylum in Spain after taking refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas
The Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia has left Venezuela for Spain, where he has been granted political asylum, according to the vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez. González, who was taking refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas, traveled on a Spanish Air Force plane.
The information was confirmed by the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, and later by the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez.
González's departure came after weeks of tensions with the government of Nicolás Maduro. The Venezuelan prosecutor's office had issued an arrest warrant against him, accusing him of several crimes, including disobedience of laws, conspiracy and sabotage.
The accusations arose after the presidential elections on July 28, in which the government declared Maduro's victory, but the opposition, led by González, denounced electoral fraud, backed by copies of 83.5% of the electoral records. These accusations led to a political crisis in the country.
According to Delcy Rodríguez, the opposition requested political asylum after taking refuge in the embassy, and after negotiations between both governments, Venezuela granted him safe passage for his departure. In a statement released on social media, the vice president explained that this action reaffirms Venezuela's respect for international law.
José Manuel Albares confirmed that González is traveling on a Spanish Air Force plane, ensuring his arrival in European territory. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan opposition, including leader María Corina Machado, has not issued statements about the situation of its standard-bearer.