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 shortly after González arrived in Madrid seeking asylum, having fled Venezuela due to threats from Maduro’s government.Sánchez reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to democracy and human rights in Venezuela, stating, ‘Spain continues working in favor of democracy, dialogue, and the fundamental rights of the brotherly people of Venezuela’. González expressed gratitude for Spain’s support and reiterated his ‘determination to continue the fight to make the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people, expressed on July 28 by more than 8 million voters, valid’.The meeting has further strained relations between Spain and Venezuela. Jorge Rodríguez, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, proposed breaking diplomatic, consular, and commercial relations with Spain in response to the Spanish Congress’s non-binding resolution urging the government to recognize González as the legitimate president-elect of Venezuela. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez went as far as to describe Spain’s decision as ‘equivalent to a declaration of war’ against Maduro’s government.Adding to the international pressure, the United States has imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials aligned with President Nicolás Maduro for their role in obstructing free and fair elections. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, ‘González’s departure from Venezuela is a direct result of the anti-democratic measures that Nicolás Maduro has unleashed against the Venezuelan people’.As the situation unfolds, the Spanish government maintains its alignment with the European Union’s position, calling for the publication of detailed vote counts from the Venezuelan election in the presence of an EU mediator. The government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, emphasized Spain’s interest in ‘always working to maintain the best relations with the Venezuelan people’.
Key points
- Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez met with Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.
- The US imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials aligned with Maduro for obstructing free and fair elections.
- Venezuela’s National Assembly proposed breaking diplomatic relations with Spain over its support for González.
- Spain maintains alignment with the EU position, calling for publication of detailed Venezuelan election results.
Contradictions👾While the Spanish Congress passed a non-binding resolution to recognize González as the legitimate president of Venezuela, the Spanish government maintains it has not recognized either Maduro or González as the winner of the July 28 elections.
