A Venezuelan judge issued an arrest warrant for opposition’s former presidential candidate, Edmundo González, as part of a criminal investigation into the disputed results of the July election. González is accused of conspiracy, falsifying documents, and usurpation of powers. The ruling party, led by President Nicolás Maduro, claimed victory in the election, but the opposition obtained tally sheets from over 80% of voting machines, showing González as the winner by a wide margin. International pressure has been mounting for a breakdown of the results.
González failed to appear three times to answer questions from prosecutors, leading to the arrest warrant. He has criticized the lack of due process and accused the Attorney General of being a “political accuser.” The Supreme Tribunal of Justice, consisting of Maduro loyalists, certified Maduro’s victory despite the opposition’s claims.
An analysis by the Associated Press of the opposition’s tally sheets shows González receiving significantly more votes than the government has reported. The tally sheets, obtained from almost 24,000 images representing 79% of voting machines, show González with 20,476 votes compared to Maduro’s 3,157. The opposition has called for freedom and democracy in Venezuela, criticizing the regime’s repression and manipulation of election results.
Maduro has requested an audit of the electoral process, but the opposition remains steadfast in their claim that González won the election. The arrest warrant for González is seen as a move to threaten the opposition’s leadership, but it has only strengthened their resolve in the fight for democracy and freedom in Venezuela.
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