Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo Gonzalez to Address EU Foreign Ministers Amid Contested Election Results
Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez is set to speak with EU foreign ministers regarding the contested presidential election, as tensions rise over Nicolas Maduro’s claimed victory.
Bollywood Fever: Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez will remotely address the foreign ministers of the 27 European Union member states on Thursday in Brussels, according to Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.
Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, ran against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro in a presidential election last month that has been widely criticized for lacking transparency.
Albares confirmed Gonzalez’s participation ahead of a meeting with EU foreign affairs ministers, stating, “Edmundo Gonzalez will connect today to give us his point of view.” This invitation, personally requested by Gonzalez, was conveyed and supported by Albares to EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
The election, held on July 28, resulted in Venezuela’s electoral council and top court declaring Maduro as the winner. However, the full voting tallies have yet to be published, leading to widespread skepticism from the opposition, Western countries, and international organizations like the United Nations.
Gonzalez’s opposition claims a resounding victory for him, asserting that he received 67% of the vote, as reflected in their own tallies published on an opposition website.
Borrell has repeatedly called for the release of official voting records, an end to political persecution, and dialogue between the opposition and the ruling government.
Spain, under Albares, has made it clear that it will not recognize the election results unless the voting records are made public. Meanwhile, Gonzalez is under investigation for incitement and other charges by Attorney General Tarek Saab, having ignored two summonses to testify regarding the opposition’s publication of voting results. Saab announced on Wednesday that he will issue a third summons for the opposition leader.
The political climate in Venezuela remains tense, with the ruling party accusing the opposition of promoting violence. Protests following the election have resulted in at least 27 deaths, and human rights group Foro Penal reports that around 1,780 people are being held as political prisoners, including 114 adolescents. Several opposition leaders have also been detained amid the unrest.
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