In a dramatic escalation of Venezuela’s political crisis, the government has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who claims to have won the July 28 presidential election against incumbent President Nicolás Maduro. González is accused of various crimes, including usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, incitement to disobedience of laws, conspiracy, and sabotage.The opposition, led by María Corina Machado, has published detailed results from over 80% of voting districts, showing González with 67% of the vote compared to Maduro’s 30%. However, the National Electoral Council, which is dominated by Maduro allies, declared Maduro the winner with 51.95% of the vote.The arrest warrant has sparked international condemnation. The United States, European Union, and at least nine Latin American countries have rejected the move, describing it as political persecution and a violation of democratic principles. U.S. diplomat Brian Nichols stated, ‘Instead of recognizing his election loss and preparing for a peaceful transition in Venezuela, Maduro has now ordered the arrest of the democratic leader who defeated him overwhelmingly at the polls’.In a parallel development, the United States has seized a $13 million Dassault Falcon 900EX plane belonging to Maduro in the Dominican Republic, citing violations of U.S. sanctions. The Venezuelan government has condemned this action as ‘piracy’.As tensions escalate, the U.S. is reportedly preparing new sanctions against Venezuelan officials, potentially targeting members of the electoral commission, Supreme Court, and National Assembly. These actions underscore the deepening crisis in Venezuela and the growing international pressure on the Maduro regime.
Key points
- Venezuelan government issues arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who claims to have won the July presidential election.
- The U.
- U.
S.
, EU, and several Latin American countries condemn the arrest warrant as political persecution.
S.
seizes Maduro’s plane and prepares new sanctions against Venezuelan officials.
Contradictions👾There are conflicting claims about the election results, with the opposition claiming González won with 67% of the vote, while the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner with 51.
95%.
