Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia targeted by arrest warrant

In Venezuela, one of the main political opponents is under threat of arrest. An arrest warrant has been issued by the courts against Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who claims victory in the presidential election of July 28, in which Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner, the prosecutor’s office announced on Monday, September 2. “The Court of First Instance (…) grants the arrest order of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia for serious” crimes, the prosecution wrote.

Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, 75, has failed to appear for three summonses from the courts, the last of which was on Friday, which wanted to question him about the opposition website that claims he is the winner of the presidential election. The prosecutor’s office opened an investigation in early August against Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for “usurpation of functions, dissemination of false information, incitement to disobedience of the laws, incitement to insurrection, criminal association”.

To justify his absences, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who has not been seen in public since July 30, said he feared justice “without guarantee of independence” and Attorney General Tarek William Saab, whom he accuses of behaving “as a political accuser”. Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, whose victory was validated by the Supreme Court, was declared the winner with 52% of the vote by the National Electoral Council, which did not make public the minutes of the polling stations. A large part of the international community, led by the United States, does not recognize Nicolas Maduro’s re-election.