Venezuela’s government made a surprising move by offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Edmundo González Urrutia, an exiled opposition leader. On Thursday, Venezuelan police shared a wanted poster on social media, featuring a photo of González with the word “Wanted” underneath.
🔴 #URGENTE 🚨🇻🇪
El Gobierno de Venezuela ha lanzado una recompensa de $100.000 por información sobre el paradero de Edmundo González Urrutia. Este líder de extrema derecha está siendo buscado por varios delitos, incluyendo conspiración, complicidad en actos violentos. pic.twitter.com/TyJNkIaOKZ
— #รσყƭαƭเαɳα 🎆🌲💗 🇻🇪🐓 (@SoyTatiana55) January 3, 2025
González’s Claim to Victory
González gained international attention when he insisted that he had won the presidency in last year’s election, defeating President Nicolás Maduro. The Venezuelan opposition, which has faced harsh crackdowns, accused Maduro of rigging the election. They presented evidence suggesting that González had, in fact, won.
González Flees to Spain
After Maduro declared himself the victor, González fled to Spain in September, fearing for his safety. Maduro had called for his arrest following the election. Despite being in exile, González vowed to return to Venezuela and take office on January 10. Venezuelan officials informed AFP that they would display wanted posters of González at airports and police checkpoints nationwide.
The Political Landscape in Venezuela
Meanwhile, Spain granted asylum to González on December 20. Venezuela had charged him with conspiracy and racketeering. In July, the country’s Supreme Court and Election Commission declared Maduro the winner of his third six-year term. However, both the opposition and the international community voiced concerns about the legitimacy of the election results.
Protests and Violence After the Election
In response to the election, protests broke out across Venezuela. These protests led to violent clashes with the police, resulting in 28 deaths, 200 injuries, and over 2,400 arrests. Tragically, three of the detained individuals died in prison, while nearly 1,400 of those arrested were later released.
Maduro’s Leadership and International Reactions
Nicolás Maduro, who was chosen by the late Hugo Chávez to succeed him in 2013, has overseen Venezuela’s economic decline. Critics have accused Maduro of acting like a dictator, using force to suppress dissent. While Maduro’s victory has been recognized by a few countries, including Russia, both the United States and the European Parliament have recognized González as “president-elect.”
As tensions continue to rise, the political future of Venezuela remains uncertain.
