Venezuelan Opposition Leader Coerced into Recognizing Maduro's Victory
Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia says he was forced to sign a letter accepting Nicolás Maduro's victory as a condition for fleeing to Spain. González disclosed the coercion he faced in a social media post. Despite opposition evidence of González's win, Venezuela's supreme tribunal reaffirmed Maduro's victory.
Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia has revealed he was forced to sign a letter accepting Nicolás Maduro's victory in a disputed election as a condition for his exile in Spain.
González, who fled to Spain after the contentious presidential election on 28 July, detailed on social media the coercion he faced from Maduro's allies while at the Spanish embassy in Caracas.
Venezuelan national assembly head, Jorge Rodríguez, presented the letter during a press conference but González maintains his signature was not voluntary.
The election results, which were declared by an electoral council loyal to Maduro, have been widely condemned for a lack of transparency.
Despite the opposition coalition's claims and evidence of victory, Venezuela’s supreme tribunal reaffirmed Maduro's win.
The next presidential term in Venezuela begins on 10 January and lasts six years.