Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez seeks asylum in Spain amid escalating crisis

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez has left the country and sought asylum in Spain, following weeks of mounting political turmoil over disputed election results.

Gonzalez had taken refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas before formally requesting asylum, according to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who confirmed the development on social media.

“After taking refuge voluntarily at the Spanish embassy in Caracas a few days ago, [Gonzalez] asked the Spanish government for political asylum,” Rodriguez announced, adding that the Venezuelan government granted him safe passage out of the country.

The situation comes amid heightened tensions in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of the controversial July 28 presidential election. However, the results were never fully released, sparking accusations of electoral fraud. The opposition claims that Gonzalez, who is 75 years old, won the election by a significant margin.

Gonzalez had been in hiding for a month after Venezuelan prosecutors issued an arrest warrant against him for his claims of victory. Despite the crackdown, protests have erupted across the country, with at least 27 people killed and 192 injured since the disputed election. Maduro’s government has reportedly detained approximately 2,400 people in connection with the unrest.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares confirmed that Gonzalez was en route to Spain on a Spanish Air Force plane. “The government of Spain is committed to the political rights of all Venezuelans,” Albares wrote, emphasizing Spain’s support for democratic freedoms amid Venezuela’s deepening political crisis.

The fallout from the disputed election has reverberated across the region. Venezuela revoked Brazil’s authorization to represent Argentinian interests, including overseeing the embassy where six opposition figures have sought shelter. Venezuela severed ties with Argentina immediately after the election, further isolating itself from key regional players. Brazil, alongside Colombia and Mexico, has called for the Maduro government to release the complete election results, a demand that has so far gone unmet.

As international pressure mounts and Gonzalez seeks refuge in Spain, Venezuela remains on edge, with no clear resolution to its deepening political and humanitarian crisis.