A Venezuelan judge has issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González, the opposition candidate in the recent presidential election, following a request from the public prosecutor’s office, which supports President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro was declared the winner of the July election by the electoral council, which is largely aligned with him. However, the government has not yet provided evidence to substantiate its victory claim, while the opposition maintains that González won by a significant margin, based on their polling data.
Judge Edward Briceño, who handles terrorism-related cases in Venezuela, promptly issued the arrest warrant after receiving the request from the prosecutor’s office.
“No one in this country is above the law or our institutions,” President Maduro stated in his weekly TV program on Monday, as reported by AFP news agency.
This move marks a significant escalation in political tensions in Venezuela. González, who opposed Maduro in the recent election, has been in hiding since the vote. His opposition alliance has released data suggesting he won the election by over 30%, which is reportedly the basis for the arrest warrant.
The charges against González include “serious crimes” such as “usurpation” of public duties, document falsification, incitement to disobedience, and sabotage, according to the public prosecutor.
González denies any wrongdoing. The European Union has not recognized Maduro’s re-election without seeing the voting results, and several Latin American countries, including Brazil’s former ally President Lula, have called for full transparency.
The US recognizes González as the legitimate winner, citing “overwhelming” evidence of Maduro’s defeat. The National Electoral Council’s declaration of Maduro as the winner has led to widespread protests in Venezuela.
Since the election, Maduro’s government has detained over 2,400 people, creating what the UN describes as a “climate of fear.” The possibility of González’s detention on charges of inciting public disorder and conspiracy now seems increasingly likely.
In a separate development, the US Department of Justice has seized a plane used by Maduro, alleging it was obtained in violation of US sanctions. In response, Maduro’s government has accused the US of “piracy” and “illegally imposing its will” globally.
