Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González has vowed to “proceed to struggle” for democracy in his personal nation, after being granted asylum in Spain.
Mr González left Venezuela on Saturday, having spent weeks in hiding on the Spanish embassy in Caracas – arriving on the Torrejón de Ardoz navy air base in Madrid along with his spouse at about 16:00 native time (14:00 GMT).
The departure of the 75-year-old from the nation adopted turmoil within the wake of the 28 July elections, through which President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory – one thing which was disputed by Mr González, and plenty of sections of the worldwide group.
In an audio message distributed by his press workforce, he mentioned he was “assured that quickly we are going to proceed the struggle to attain freedom and the restoration of democracy in Venezuela”.
Previous to his departure, an arrest warrant had been issued in Venezuela, with the federal government accusing him of conspiracy and of forging paperwork, amongst different “severe crimes”.
Thanking his supporters for expressions of solidarity and confirming his arrival in Spain, Mr González mentioned: “My departure from Caracas was surrounded by episodes of stress, coercion and threats that I wouldn’t be allowed to go away.”
Earlier, the nation’s opposition chief Maria Corina Machado wrote on social media that he had made the choice to go away the nation as a result of “his life was in peril”, citing a “brutal wave of repression” within the election aftermath.
Ms Machado, a well-liked candidate within the nation, had been anticipated to run because the candidate in opposition to Mr Maduro, however was prevented from doing so on the final minute by establishments loyal to the president.
The opposition claimed it had proof Mr González had received by a cushty margin, and uploaded detailed voting tallies to the web which counsel Mr González beat Mr Maduro convincingly.
The US, the EU and nearly all of overseas governments have refused to just accept Mr Maduro because the winner with out Caracas releasing detailed voting information to show the end result.
On Sunday, the Vice-President of the European Fee Josep Borrell mentioned: “At present is a tragic day for democracy in Venezuela.” He added that “in a democracy, no political chief needs to be pressured to hunt asylum in a foreign country”.
He mentioned Venezuela wanted to finish its oppression of opposition leaders and free all political prisoners.
Talking at a socialist get together assembly on Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described Mr González as “a hero who Spain won’t abandon.”
The nation’s International Minister José Manuel Albares mentioned Madrid would grant Mr González asylum because it was “dedicated to the political rights” of all Venezuelans.
Mr González’s departure got here as safety forces in Venezuela surrounded the Argentine embassy within the capital, Caracas, the place six opposition figures have been sheltering.
The nation’s overseas ministry alleged that terrorist acts have been being plotted inside.