A Venezuelan judge has issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González, the opposition’s former presidential candidate, amid a criminal investigation into the disputed July election results, AP News reports.
González, who has not appeared publicly since the election, faces charges including conspiracy, falsifying documents, and usurpation of powers. The warrant was issued after González failed to appear before prosecutors for questioning on multiple occasions.
The warrant comes after a disputed election where both the ruling party and the opposition claimed victory. González and opposition leader María Corina Machado claimed to have evidence from tally sheets showing that President Nicolás Maduro lost the election. They published these documents online, challenging the official results, which declared Maduro the winner. The National Electoral Council and Supreme Tribunal of Justice, both seen as aligned with Maduro, have dismissed these claims and upheld Maduro’s victory.
The Chilean government condemned the arrest warrant and called for respect for democratic principles and human rights in Venezuela.