Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González revealed he was “forced” to acknowledge President Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the July elections in order to secure asylum in Spain. In a recent video, González disclosed that Maduro’s associates compelled him to sign a statement while he sought refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas.
Contradicting González’s claims, Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and a key Maduro ally, contended that González voluntarily signed the letter. The elections, which declared Maduro the victor, have been widely disputed by González and various international observers.
In his video message from Madrid, the 75-year-old González recounted the pressure he faced, stating, “I had to either sign it or deal with the consequences.” He described the experience as one marked by intense coercion and asserted that the signed letter held no significance. Now granted asylum in Spain, González emphasized his commitment to representing “millions of Venezuelans who voted for change, democracy, and peace.”
In response to González’s statements, Rodríguez presented the signed letter and challenged him to retract his claims within 24 hours, threatening to release audio evidence that he claimed would contradict González’s narrative. He questioned, “If you signed under pressure, how is it that one of your daughters still lives in Venezuela peacefully?”
Rodríguez also showcased images purportedly capturing a meeting with Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez and González prior to his departure. Prior to leaving for Spain, a Venezuelan judge issued an arrest warrant for González, accusing him of conspiracy and other serious offenses, all of which he vehemently denied.
According to Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), Maduro secured 52% of the vote in the July 28 elections, while González received 43%. However, the opposition insists that evidence indicates González won by a significant margin and has shared detailed voting records online to support their claim. The US, EU, and most foreign governments have rejected Maduro’s victory unless detailed voting data is released, a request the CNE claims it cannot fulfill due to cyberattacks that compromised the data.
