Venezuela's socialist government on Thursday announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of exiled opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González.
The reward for González, who is currently in exile in Spain, will be paid days before the start of a new six-year presidential term in Venezuela, on January 10, 2025, under Venezuela's constitution. Socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro and González, a 75-year-old former diplomat, both plan to become president. inauguration ceremony That day in Caracas. Both sides claim to have won the 2024 presidential election, which many international observers deny was fraudulent.
Through a flyer offering a $100,000 reward, Maduro's government accused González of “collusion, complicity in acts of violence against the republic, usurpation of functions, forgery of documents, money laundering, disregard for state institutions, and incitement to disobedience.” He was accused of committing a crime. law” and “criminal organization”.
VTV, the Maduro regime's main propaganda news channel, explained González announced on Thursday that he had distributed fliers offering a $100,000 reward at “all checkpoints, border crossings and airports throughout Venezuela” as a “defeated far-right candidate on the run”. The flyer was also distributed through the social media accounts of the Forensic Crime Investigation Unit (CICPC).
Mr. González was the only opposition candidate allowed by Maduro's government to take part in the rigged presidential election on July 28, appearing alongside a small number of hand-picked “rivals” of the socialist dictator. Maduro himself also appeared. 13 times on the ballot. President Maduro has declared himself the “winner” of the sham presidential election, but as of this writing, Venezuelan government institutions, including the National Electoral Council (CNE), have not released voter documentation confirming the claimed results.
Venezuelan opposition parties immediately contested the election, presenting the results of thousands of nationwide voter counts collected at local polling stations on election day, showing that Mr. González won more than 67 percent of the votes, making it clear that the election was true. He claimed to be able to prove himself a winner. A digital copy of the collected aggregates is Website The Maduro government blocked A new round of internet censorship has banned access within Venezuelan territory, along with several other websites and applications.
gonzalez ran away González traveled to Spain in September after Maduro's government issued an arrest warrant charging him with several crimes related to election fraud. Despite being in exile in Spain, González repeatedly claimed He said he “intends to undertake the mission that the sovereign of Venezuela has voted for me” and plans to return to Venezuela to take office as president on January 10.
González announced on Thursday that he will begin a tour of Latin America on Saturday, starting with a visit to Argentina, where he will meet with President Javier Millay.
in remarks Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab warned Argentine media outlet Infobae last week that González would be arrested if he returned.
“He had asylum, and his opponent Edmundo González was also granted asylum. Do you know what it means to be granted asylum in Spain?” What does that mean legally? ” Saab asked. “That he has to remain in the country. He has agreed to remain in the country (…) He cannot leave Spain because that would first violate his asylum.”
“He is the subject of a criminal investigation in Venezuela, but the most sensitive part of this is that when you apply for asylum, what are you looking for when you leave the country? “Are you looking for it?” he continued. “What on earth are you looking for? (…) In a golden exile, so that the country can give you refuge and you can be there, as he did.”
voice of america reported On Friday morning, a flyer offering a bounty for González was posted on a wall at Maiquetia's Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela's main airport.
Mr. González has been recognized as the winner of the July 28 presidential election by the following countries and others: US, Italy, Argentina,and european union. China, Russia, Cubaand other like-minded allies of the Maduro regime have instead recognized the socialist dictator as the “winner” of the election.
Maduro's refusal to release voter documents that could prove his claim to victory, even against regional allies like Brazil's radical leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, led Brazil. laugh through your nose President Maduro was removed from the BRICS anti-American bloc's long-sought seat at its latest annual summit, hosted by Russia in October.
According to President Lula's top foreign policy adviser Celso Amorim, the decision has nothing to do with “democracy” and stems from President Maduro's refusal to release the claimed voter data of a socialist regime. It is said that this was due to a “breach of trust”. I promised.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
