Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met with Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia at the Palacio de la Moncloa on September 12, 2024, amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Spain and Venezuela. The meeting took place a day after the Spanish Congress passed a non-binding resolution urging the government to recognize González as the elected president of Venezuela.Sánchez welcomed González warmly, emphasizing Spain’s humanitarian commitment and solidarity with the Venezuelan people. ‘Spain continues to work in favor of democracy, dialogue, and fundamental rights of the brotherly people of Venezuela,’ Sánchez stated on social media. However, the Spanish government has maintained its position of not recognizing either Nicolás Maduro or González as the winner of the July 28 Venezuelan elections until all electoral records are published.González, who arrived in Madrid on Sunday seeking asylum after hiding in the Spanish ambassador’s residence in Caracas, expressed gratitude for Spain’s support. He stated his ‘determination to continue the fight for the Venezuelan people’s sovereign will, expressed on July 28 by over 8 million voters’.The meeting has further strained relations between Spain and Venezuela. Jorge Rodríguez, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, has proposed breaking diplomatic, consular, and commercial relations with Spain in response to the Spanish Congress’s resolution. The Spanish government, however, has called for calm, with government spokesperson Pilar Alegría stating that Spain has ‘an interest in always working to maintain the best relations with the Venezuelan people’.As the situation unfolds, the international community watches closely. The Spanish government continues to align its position with that of the European Union, calling for the publication of detailed vote counts from the Venezuelan election in the presence of an EU mediator. Meanwhile, González’s future plans remain uncertain, with reports suggesting he will maintain a low profile due to concerns for the safety of his family and friends still in Venezuela.
Key points
- Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez met with Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia in Madrid.
- The meeting occurred amid rising tensions following a Spanish Congress resolution to recognize González as Venezuela’s elected president.
- Venezuela has threatened to break diplomatic relations with Spain in response to the resolution.
- Spain maintains its position of not recognizing either Maduro or González until all electoral records are published.
Contradictions👾While the Spanish Congress passed a resolution to recognize González as Venezuela’s elected president, the Spanish government maintains its position of not recognizing either Maduro or González until all electoral records are published.
