MADRID: Madrid on Sunday said it would grant political asylum to Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who was heading into exile in Spain after a month in hiding in the crisis-hit South American country.
Gonzalez Urrutia -- who disputed President Nicolas Maduro's July 28 re-election -- left Venezuela after ignoring three successive summons to appear before prosecutors, arguing that attending the hearing could have cost him his freedom.
Madrid's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that Gonzalez Urrutia had requested political asylum in the European country, and that Spain would "obviously" grant it to him. He earlier confirmed on X that the opposition leader had departed on a Spanish military aeroplane, adding that Spain was "committed to the political rights" of all Venezuelans. Caracas said it had agreed to his safe passage.
Venezuela has been in political crisis since July when authorities declared Maduro the victor of the election. The opposition cried foul, claiming it had evidence Gonzalez Urrutia had won by a comfortable margin.
Numerous nations, including the United States, European Union and several Latin American countries, have refused to recognise Maduro as the winner without Caracas releasing detailed voting data.
Venezuela's Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez said on social media that Caracas had agreed to the safe passage of Gonzalez Urrutia, who had taken "refuge voluntarily at the Spanish Embassy in Caracas a few days ago".
The European Union demanded on Sunday that Venezuela end its oppression of opposition leaders, with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell calling it a "sad day for democracy in Venezuela".
"The EU insists that the Venezuelan authorities end repression, arbitrary arrests and harassment against members of the opposition and civil society, as well as release all political prisoners," Borrell said in a statement.
Speaking at a socialist party meeting on Saturday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Gonzalez Urrutia as "a hero who Spain will not abandon".
Attorney General Tarek William Saab said he would make an "important announcement", which the public prosecutor's office said would take place at 11:00 am on Sunday. — AFP
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