Venezuela orders arrest of Maduro opponent

The Venezuelan Public Ministry ordered the arrest of Edmundo González Urrutia, a former presidential candidate defeated in the July 28 elections, accused of a series of serious crimes, including conspiracy and money laundering.

The statement, released by Telesuralso mentions a reward of US$100,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of González Urrutia.

According to the official statement, González Urrutia is accused of “Conspiracy, Complicity in the use of violent acts against the Republic, Usurpation of functions, Forgery of documents, Money laundering, Ignorance of State institutions, Instigation of disobedience to laws, Association for the committing a crime, among others.”

After the announcement of the electoral results that confirmed Nicolás Maduro as president, González Urrutia, together with oppositionist María Corina Machado, led movements that resulted in criminal acts by far-right groups, according to government reports. These crimes ranged from falsification of public documents to conspiracy against the State.

González Urrutia refused to appear before the Venezuelan Public Prosecutor’s Office after being summoned on three occasions, opting to take refuge in foreign embassies before fleeing to Madrid, Spain, on September 7.

From Madrid, he made controversial calls for a civil war in Venezuela, a move that Maduro says violates the conditions of his political asylum.

Notably, before his departure from Venezuela, González Urrutia had signed a letter recognizing Maduro’s electoral victory.

However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared support for González Urrutia, rejecting the decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice that validated Maduro’s re-election with 51.20% of the votes.

This divergence of political recognitions has exacerbated tensions between Venezuela and the United States, with regional organizations such as ALBA-TCP supporting Maduro.

In recent developments, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed that González Urrutia has been granted political asylum in Spain, adding another layer of complexity to the already volatile political situation.