CARACAS, Venezuela โ The government of Venezuela has offered a significant reward of $100,000 for any information leading to the discovery of Edmundo Gonzรกlez, a prominent opposition candidate who asserts that he triumphed over President Nicolรกs Maduro in the previous yearโs election.
This declaration comes just eight days prior to the commencement of the next presidential term in Venezuela.
In an official statement shared via the countryโs Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations Agencyโs social media, they announced: โA $100,000 reward is presented to anyone who can provide details regarding his location.โ The post featured a wanted-style bulletin accompanied by Gonzรกlezโs picture and instructions for reporting him to the authorities.
Following the governmentโs announcement, Gonzรกlezโs campaign revealed that he is set to initiate an international tour, starting with a trip to Argentina, where he plans to meet with President Javier Milei on Saturday.
Gonzรกlez departed from Venezuela in September, seeking refuge in Spain after a judge issued an arrest warrant against him as part of an investigation related to the controversial presidential election held on July 28. The National Electoral Council, comprised predominantly of members loyal to the ruling party, proclaimed that Maduro had secured a victory in that election.
Despite this, in contrast to previous electoral processes, detailed vote counts were not disclosed by the electoral authorities. Nonetheless, the opposition group collected tally sheets from around 80% of the electronic voting machines across the country, presenting the data online. They contended that the records indicated Gonzรกlez had actually garnered double the votes of Maduro.
The international community reacted strongly to the perceived lack of electoral transparency, prompting Maduro to request an audit of the election results from Venezuelaโs high court, which is similarly aligned with the ruling party. The court subsequently upheld the validity of Maduroโs victory.
Additionally, Maduro has received an invitation from the National Assembly for a swearing-in ceremony scheduled for January 10.
On the other hand, Gonzรกlez has communicated his intention to return to Venezuela by that date, although he has not clarified how he plans to do so or what his intentions will be upon his return.
Shortly after his arrival in Spain, Gonzรกlez revealed that he was compelled by associates of Maduro to sign a document that effectively acknowledged his defeat in the July election as a condition for his departure from Venezuela.
Moreover, Mileiโs administration has been a vocal supporter of Venezuelaโs main opposition coalition, having offered asylum to five members of this group at the Argentine diplomatic mission located in Caracas since March of this year.