Venezuela opposition presidential candidate Gonzalez wanted for arrest for ‘crimes associated with terrorism’
By Mauricio Torres and Abel Alvarado, CNN
(CNN) — Venezuelan authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the former presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, amid a crackdown on the country’s opposition movement following July’s disputed election.
The Venezuela Prosecutor’s Office requested the warrant Monday, accusing Gonzalez of “crimes associated with terrorism.” Gonzalez has failed to respond to three summons regarding its investigation into an opposition website that posted results from the contested vote, it said.
Maduro claims to have won the July 28 vote, but the official results have attracted widespread skepticism from abroad and the opposition has insisted that it won. Shortly after the vote, the opposition published tally sheets on a website indicating their candidate – Gonzalez – had won by a landslide.
CNN has not independently confirmed the data published by the opposition, but experts consulted by CNNE say the data appears to show an opposition win.
In a letter posted on X on Monday, the Prosecutor’s Office said Gonzalez is suspected of “crimes associated with terrorism” including “usurpation of functions, forging a public document, instigation to disobedience of the laws (and) association to commit a crime and conspiracy.”
Gonzalez has denied the accusations against him. The Prosecutor’s Office has previously said it is also investigating opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for the same alleged crimes.
Machado said Monday that the threat of arrest would only help to unite the opposition.
“(The government) have lost all notion of reality. By threatening the president-elect they only manage to unite us more and increase the support of Venezuelans and the world for Edmundo González.”
“Serenity, courage and firmness. We move forward,” she added.
Venezuela’s electoral body, long stacked with regime allies, declared the strongman leader Maduro the winner of the election, but has yet to provide tallies proving his win.
Venezuela’s opposition and several other nations have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory until the release of the full vote tally.
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