The opposition presidential candidate is at risk of arrest after prosecutors opened an investigation into “usurpation of functions and dissemination of false information.”
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The Venezuelan opposition candidate, who claims victory in the presidential election, refused to appear before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, August 7, as part of a procedure launched by Nicolas Maduro to have the presidential election “to validate” his contested re-election. “If I go” to the Supreme Court (…) “I will endanger not only my freedom but also, more importantly: the will of the Venezuelan people expressed on July 28”date of the vote, wrote Edmundo Gonzalez, in a statement published on X. Evoking his “absolute vulnerability”the 74-year-old candidate has not been seen in public for more than a week, while Maduro regularly calls him a “criminal”.
The former diplomat now risks arrest, particularly since the prosecution opened an investigation against him 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”.
“It is noted that citizen Edmundo Gonzalez did not appear. It is important that his non-appearance and non-compliance with the summons be recorded in the minutes.”said the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Caryslia Rodriguez, at the headquarters of the high court. The Supreme Court, which has summoned all the candidates, as well as other officials, as part of its referral by Nicolas Maduro, clarified that it is giving itself “15 days extendable” to make a decision.
