Former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez arrived in Spain on Sunday after requesting political asylum in that country, Spanish authorities said, after he left his country amid a political crisis following the July 28 elections.
After his arrival, the former candidate sent an audio message through his press team, in which he denounced that his departure from Caracas was surrounded by “episodes of pressure, coercion and threats” of not allowing his departure and said he was confident that the fight to achieve “freedom and the recovery of democracy” in Venezuela would continue in the near future.
González, who traveled accompanied by his wife and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío, was received by the Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World, Susana Sumelzo, said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the European country.
“From now on, the process for requesting asylum will begin, and the resolution will be favourable in the interest of Spain’s commitment to the political rights and physical integrity of all Venezuelans, especially political leaders,” he said.
The 75-year-old former ambassador arrived at the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base aboard a Spanish Air Force plane that departed late Saturday from Maiquetía, Venezuela. The aircraft made two technical stops, one in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and another at the Lajes International Air Base, in Portugal.
The The OAS said in a statement that González was forced into exile and described the threats of imprisonment and unfounded summons against him as “reprehensible and condemnable.”
For its part, The Chilean government regretted “the forced exile” of the former candidate and rejected the persecution, harassment and political violence to which he was subjected.” He also reiterated his call for respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the physical integrity of Venezuelans.
There was no political negotiation with Maduro
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares ruled out any political negotiations with the government of Nicolás Maduro and said that the asylum was granted at González Urrutia’s “personal request.”
“This was not improvised, we had been preparing for this moment for many days,” he said. RTVEHe also said that the fact that a political leader has to request asylum “is bad news.”
“What Spain wants is for the results of the ballot box to be respected, for freedom of demonstration and political rights to be respected (…) Spain will never turn its back on or abandon Edmundo González or any Venezuelan,” he continued.
Gonzalez left Venezuela a week after Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest warrant for him after he failed to appear at three public prosecutor’s offices for publishing electoral data on a website that authorities consider a “usurpation of functions.”
More than a month after the election, the electoral authority has not released the detailed results, which has been questioned by dozens of countries that have not recognized the victory of Nicolás Maduro, who was declared the winner of the elections. The opposition claims that González is the president-elect.
Maria Corina Machado, winner of the opposition presidential primary but disqualified from holding public office, said on Monday that Edmundo Gonzalez will continue fighting from exile and assured that he will be sworn in as president of Venezuela on January 10, the date set by the Constitution.
The unexpected departure of the former candidate from Venezuela occurred on the same day that diplomatic tensions escalated between Venezuela and Brazil, after Venezuelan authorities announced the revocation of Brazil to represent Argentine interests in the country, including the administration of the embassy and the diplomatic residence where six opposition figures are taking refuge.
The revocation came after Venezuela broke relations with Argentina after questioning the results of the July 28 presidential election. Brazil, like Colombia and Mexico, has asked the Venezuelan government to publish the full results of the vote.
Refugee in the embassies of the Netherlands and Spain
Before leaving Venezuela, Gonzalez had been holed up in the Dutch and Spanish embassies in Venezuela, Dutch and Venezuelan officials said.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said in a letter to parliament on Sunday that Gonzalez had urgently requested refuge in the Dutch embassy the day after the election.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell said that “in the face of repression, political persecution and direct threats to his safety and freedom, after having received hospitality at the Dutch residence in Caracas until 5 September, the political leader and presidential candidate Edmundo González has had to request political asylum and accept the protection offered to him by Spain.”
“Today is a sad day for democracy in Venezuela… In a democracy, no political leader should be forced to seek asylum in another country,” said Borrell, who also demanded that Venezuelan authorities end repression, arbitrary detentions and harassment against members of the opposition and civil society, as well as release all political prisoners.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on Saturday that “the proper safe-conducts have been granted for the sake of the country’s tranquility and political peace.”
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