WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Venezuela opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has been granted political asylum in Spain after he fled his home country facing an arrest warrant.
After hiding for weeks, Gonzalez, his wife and Spanish officials landed at the Torrejon de Ardoz military air base in Madrid Sunday evening, Spain's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Gonzalez, 75, vowed to continue to fight for democracy in Venezuela. 'My departure from Caracas was surrounded by episodes of pressure, coercion and threats that I wouldn't be allowed to leave,' he said in an audio message.
Opposition Democratic Unitary Platform leader María Corina Machado, who is also under threat of being arrested, had said on social media that Gonzalez' life was in danger amid a brutal wave of repression in the country after the controversial election results were declared.
Judge Edward Briceno issued the warrant last week on charges of terrorism, conspiracy and incitement to insurrection.
The state-controlled National Electoral Council's announcement declaring incumbent President Nicolas Maduro as the winner despite Gonzalez receiving the most votes in the July 28 election had triggered nation-wide protests.
The United States said it stands with Gonzalez in his call to continue the struggle for liberty and the restoration of democracy in Venezuela.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the past six weeks, Maduro has unjustly arrested nearly two thousand Venezuelans, used censorship and threats to silence opposition, and violated laws to remain in power against the will of the Venezuelan people.
He called on Maduro to cease the repression and immediately release all those unjustly detained. 'The United States will continue to work with our international partners to defend democratic freedoms in Venezuela and ensure Maduro and his representatives are held accountable for their actions,' Blinken said in statement.
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