Venezuela opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez leaves country for Spain

Edmundo Gonzalez is seeking asylum in Spain after he challenged the re-election of Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela has said that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has left the country after a day of rising diplomatic tensions and is seeking asylum in Spain.

“After taking refuge voluntarily at the Spanish embassy in Caracas a few days ago, [Gonzalez] asked the Spanish government for political asylum,” Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on social media, adding that Caracas had agreed to his safe passage.

Venezuela has been in crisis since authorities declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 presidential election but did not release the detailed results.

The opposition cried foul, claiming it had evidence that 75-year-old Gonzalez had won by a comfortable margin.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares wrote on X that Gonzalez had requested asylum and was travelling to the country on a Spanish air force plane.