Maduro's election rival leaves country, seeks asylum in Spain

(Patria) - Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González has fled to Spain to avoid arrest.

The Venezuelan opposition, as well as some Western and Latin American countries, consider González the winner of the elections held in July, in which Nicolás Maduro was again declared the winner.

The opposition claims he had to leave the country because his life was in danger.

The opposition disputed Maduro's victory, declaring it fraudulent and stating that its candidate Edmundo González convincingly won with 73.2% of the vote.

González landed at the Torrejon de Ardoz military base with his wife, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

The dramatic departure of the 75-year-old, whom the US, EU and other regional powers consider the winner of the vote, came a week after Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest warrant for him, accusing him of conspiracy and other crimes.

- Today is a sad day for democracy in Venezuela. In a democracy, no political leader should be forced to seek asylum in another country - said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez wrote on Instagram that the authorities facilitated González's safe passage in an effort to restore political peace.

She also stated that González left Venezuela after "voluntarily seeking refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas" a few days ago.

"Preserving his freedom, integrity and life is essential for our cause, following increasingly frequent threats, calls, arrest warrants, and even blackmail and attempted coercion by the Venezuelan government," Rodríguez emphasized.

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the process for González to obtain asylum will now begin, "the outcome of which will be favorable given Spain's commitment to the political rights and physical integrity of all Venezuelan men and women, especially political leaders."

- Spanish officials, including former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, negotiated for a week with Venezuelan authorities about González's departure from the country - a source familiar with the negotiations, who wished to remain anonymous, told Reuters.

Last week, the Venezuelan Attorney General's Office announced that it had issued an arrest warrant for González for publishing the results, accusing him, among other things, of usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents and conspiracy.