Arrest warrant for Venezuelan opposition candidate
A judge in Venezuela has issued an arrest warrant for opposition candidate Edmundo González who ran against Maduro in the country’s recent election. This comes following a request by the public prosecutor’s office loyal to Maduro who was declared the winner of the election by the electoral council. The council is filled with government loyalists, according to the BBC.
The government has not published any evidence supporting Maduro’s claim of victory. The opposition meanwhile says that their polling data shows that González won.
Judge Edward Briceño who rules over terrorism-related crimes in the country granted the request for the arrest warrant against the opposition leader. “No-one in this country is above the laws, above the institutions,” President Maduro said.
González was the candidate who ran against Maduro in the election. Since the vote, his opposition alliance has published data voting data online that it says shows that he won the election by a margin of over 30%. It was this data that led to the arrest warrant being issued.
He is being accused of “serious crimes” which include the “usurpation” of public duties, document falsification, instigation of disobedience, and system sabotage, according to the public prosecutor.
Shortly after the election, González went into hiding, having denied any wrongdoing. The EU says that it will not recognise Maduro as having won the election unless it sees detailed voting tallies. A number of Latin American countries have also withheld their support including Brazil President Lula, a former ally of Maduro, who called for full transparency from the government.
Washington has recognised González as having won, citing “overwhelming” evidence of Maduro’s loss.
But the Venezuelan government-controlled National Electoral Council declared Maduro to be the winner, prompting major protests throughout the country. More than 2,400 people have been detained since the election. The UN criticised what it called “a climate of fear.”
Image: Eneas De Troya from Mexico City, México
