Edmundo González Urrutia, the Venezuelan opposition candidate who recently sought asylum in Spain, has called for dialogue among Venezuelans in his first written message since arriving in Madrid. González stated, ‘I have decided to leave Venezuela thinking that our country’s destiny cannot, must not be, a conflict of pain and suffering. I have done it thinking of my family and all Venezuelan families in this moment of great tension’. This message comes as the political situation in Venezuela and its repercussions in Spain continue to evolve.The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, faces criticism from the opposition Partido Popular (PP) for not officially recognizing González as the elected president of Venezuela. The PP has proposed a non-binding resolution in the Spanish Congress to recognize González as the ‘elected president,’ which has sparked debate. Sánchez defends the asylum decision as a humanitarian gesture, stating, ‘Any political reading of Edmundo González’s presence in Spain is inappropriate because his asylum in our country is a gesture of humanity’.Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has expressed ‘respect’ for González’s decision to leave the country. This comes amid ongoing tensions in Venezuela, with opposition leader María Corina Machado calling for a mobilization in Spain to demand recognition of González as the elected president.The situation has international implications, with the Spanish government insisting it did not negotiate González’s departure with Venezuelan authorities. However, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez claims there were conversations to facilitate González’s exit. The controversy has also drawn attention from other Venezuelan opposition figures, such as Antonio Ledezma, who urges the Spanish government to take further steps in recognizing González.As the political drama unfolds, Prime Minister Sánchez plans to meet with González this week upon returning from an official visit to China. The Spanish government maintains that its position aligns with EU partners in calling for transparency in the Venezuelan electoral process.
Key points
- Edmundo González Urrutia calls for dialogue among Venezuelans from his exile in Spain.
- Spanish government faces domestic pressure to recognize González as Venezuela’s elected president.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defends González’s asylum as a humanitarian gesture.
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro expresses respect for González’s decision to leave.
- The situation has sparked international debate and diplomatic tensions.
Contradictions👾The Spanish government claims there was no negotiation with Venezuelan authorities regarding González’s departure, while Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez asserts there were conversations to facilitate his exit.
