Spanish PM Meets Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gonzalez in Madrid, According to Reuters

MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held a meeting on Thursday with Edmundo Gonzalez, the self-exiled opposition leader from Venezuela, following a recent vote by Spain’s parliament that recognized Gonzalez as the winner of a contentious presidential election held in July.

Gonzalez, 75, who faces charges of conspiracy and other crimes in Venezuela, sought asylum in Spain this past Sunday while Sanchez was on a diplomatic visit to China. In a post on X, the social media platform, Sanchez expressed his warm welcome to Gonzalez, highlighting Spain’s humanitarian dedication and support for Venezuela.

The post included a video featuring Sanchez, Gonzalez, and his daughter walking through the gardens of the Moncloa Palace, the official residence of the prime minister. Gonzalez expressed his gratitude in a separate statement to Sanchez, his government, and the people of Spain for their reception.

During their discussion, Gonzalez emphasized the urgent situation in Venezuela and the importance of collaborating towards a democratic transition. The Venezuelan opposition claims that the results from July’s election show a decisive victory for Gonzalez; however, the country’s election board declared the incumbent president, Nicolas Maduro, the winner. Maduro has dismissed international criticism as a right-wing conspiracy.

The Spanish parliament’s lower house recently passed a motion urging the government to acknowledge Gonzalez as president-elect, a symbolic action that Sanchez’s minority Socialist-led government plans to disregard. Instead, Spain, alongside the European Union, is advocating for the release of comprehensive vote tabulations with the assistance of an EU mediator while refraining from recognizing either Maduro or Gonzalez as the rightful winner.

Gonzalez expressed his appreciation to Spanish lawmakers for their recognition of his victory in the July election and reiterated his steadfast commitment to his mandate. He stated, “The fight is to the end, when all our families can finally be reunited on Venezuelan soil.”

In response to the parliamentary motion from Spain, the Venezuelan government has been urged to sever its already tenuous diplomatic relationships with Madrid.