Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek Saab, has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez.
The warrant accuses Gonzalez of conspiracy and other crimes amid controversy over the outcome of a July election. Attorney General Saab shared the warrant through Telegram, and it represents a significant escalation in President Nicolas Maduro’s crackdown on opposition figures.
While Venezuela’s national electoral authority and top court declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 election, securing just over half of the votes, the opposition claims that Gonzalez won by a large margin.
Despite the opposition publishing what they assert are authentic tallies for over 80% of the votes, the electoral council has yet to release the full results, citing a cyber attack.
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In a state television broadcast, Maduro criticized Gonzalez, accusing him of disrespecting the law. Other government officials echoed this sentiment, calling for the jailing of Gonzalez and his associates.
International bodies have raised concerns about the election's transparency, with some alleging outright fraud. Meanwhile, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado warned that any threats against Gonzalez would only strengthen his support domestically and internationally.
The arrest warrant follows Gonzalez’s refusal to testify regarding the opposition’s vote tally website, leading to charges including conspiracy, falsification of public documents, and instigation to disobey the law. Given Gonzalez's age, Venezuelan law would require house arrest instead of imprisonment.
The U.S. is reportedly preparing sanctions against Venezuelan officials in response to the election, further intensifying the situation.
A recent move by the Biden administration to confiscate an aircraft linked to Maduro has been condemned by Venezuela as "piracy."
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