CARACAS, Venezuela — In a significant move for the Venezuelan political landscape, opposition leader Edmundo González, who asserts he won the presidential election against Nicolás Maduro last year, met with U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday. This meeting comes just days ahead of Maduro’s controversial inauguration for a third term, which is set to take place on Friday, as outlined by the country’s laws.
During their discussion, Biden and González agreed on the critical need to respect González’s “campaign victory” and emphasized the importance of a peaceful transition to democratic governance. A statement released by the White House highlighted their mutual concerns over what they characterized as the “unacceptable and indiscriminate use of repression” employed by Maduro and his administration against peaceful protesters and civil society advocates.
González kicked off a tour of the Americas on Saturday, including visits to Argentina and Uruguay. His campaign organization orchestrated a gathering in Washington, encouraging Venezuelans in the area to join him outside the offices of the Organization of American States on Monday. Among the attendees was Carolina di Martino Popovich, who traveled ten hours in a snowstorm from Boston to show her support. “We couldn’t vote in Venezuela, but we are here to recognize him as our president,” she stated, braving the cold with her daughters and mother, who are also Venezuelan immigrants.
As the opposition rallies support, Maduro has received an official invitation from the National Assembly to be sworn in once again as president this Friday, more than five months after the electoral authority declared him the winner of the July 28 election. The legitimacy of that election has been widely disputed, with over 2,000 individuals, including minors, reportedly arrested in connection to protests that erupted nationwide following the election results. Among those detained were several opposition leaders, journalists, and activists.
The opposition claims to have collected data from over 80% of the country’s electronic voting machines, suggesting that González secured twice as many votes as Maduro. Additionally, the Carter Center, tasked with observing the election by Maduro’s government, has validated the opposition’s tally sheets. Both the U.S. and numerous European governments have rejected the official election results and recognize González as the legitimate president of Venezuela.
After the meeting with Biden, González expressed gratitude for U.S. support in the ongoing struggle for democratic restoration in Venezuela. “We had a long, fruitful, and cordial conversation… that is a commitment that we take with us and that we will continue to follow until the last day of the president’s government,” he remarked. However, the bolstered opposition remained under scrutiny as Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Interior Minister, insulted González and asserted that Maduro would still be inaugurated on Friday.
Cabello labeled González a “coward” and insinuated that he is a CIA agent, threatening arrest if he were to return to Venezuela. Following a warrant for his arrest, González left Venezuela for Spain in September 2022 amidst accusations related to the election’s vote tally. Recently, the government offered a $100,000 reward for information regarding his location.
On the same day, González held a meeting with Rep. Mike Waltz, who has been designated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as national security adviser. Despite expressing a desire to return to Venezuela for his presidential inauguration, González has not clarified how he plans to execute this alongside Maduro’s firm control over the military and state institutions.
González addressed Venezuela’s armed forces in a video on social media, reminding them of their constitutional duty as he prepares to assume the role of commander-in-chief. Yet, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino has already declared that the military will only recognize Maduro as president on Inauguration Day. He denounced González’s actions as “clownish and buffoonish,” countering the opposition’s narrative and reinforcing Maduro’s standing with the armed forces.
