Montevideo.- An arrest warrant issued by the Venezuelan Supreme Court against opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia has been condemned by Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. These countries jointly denounced the charges against González as politically motivated, labeling them as an attempt to silence him and undermine the will of the Venezuelan people. The statement criticized Venezuela’s lack of judicial independence and condemned the widespread arbitrary arrests in the country.
The Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office had requested the warrant, accusing González of various crimes, including “usurpation of functions” and “forgery of public documents,” in connection with the July 28 presidential election. González, representing the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), had refused to appear in court, challenging the legitimacy of the charges. The opposition claims electoral fraud, supporting their case with records they say demonstrate González’s victory, which the Venezuelan government dismisses as false.
The nine countries pledged to continue their efforts to protect González’s life, integrity, and freedom, emphasizing their firm stance against what they described as dictatorial practices in Venezuela. The warrant was issued after González failed to comply with three summonses, leading the authorities to consider him a flight risk.