CARACAS – As interim President Delcy Rodríguez nears the five-month milestone since taking office following a U.S.-led intervention that ended Nicolás Maduro’s rule in early January, former opposition leader Edmundo González has called for new presidential elections in Venezuela.
At 76, González, a seasoned diplomat, was acknowledged by numerous nations as the rightful victor of the July 2024 elections. This recognition came amidst a turbulent backdrop of post-election unrest and accusations of electoral fraud by the opposition, which led to widespread protests.
International observers validated electoral documents that confirmed González’s triumph over Maduro, adding credibility to his claims.
Through a social media announcement, González emphasized the urgency of establishing conditions for presidential elections. He sees this as a critical step towards enabling citizens to drive change and fostering a stable, institutionalized government.
González’s appeal arrives just before the five-month mark of Rodríguez’s leadership, which began on January 5, following Maduro and his wife’s arrest and subsequent prosecution in the U.S.
Rodríguez, once a close associate of Maduro, gained recognition as president from then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. Since then, Venezuela and the U.S. have worked towards several agreements, including the easing of sanctions and collaborations in the oil and energy sectors, while also moving towards restoring diplomatic ties.
Neither Caracas nor Washington has given any indication that elections are imminent in Venezuela. The U.S. has recognized Rodríguez as Venezuela’s sole head of state, allowing her to reestablish ties with Western banks and more freely work with U.S. investors.
According to González, an electoral process must have “independent referees,” national and international observation and political pluralism, among other conditions, with the release of political prisoners and “an end to the persecution” being non-negotiable.
The opposition leader asserted that he is the “guardian” of the mandate of his constituents, who chose “freedom” for Venezuela in the 2024 election. Since September that year, González has been in exile in Spain after Maduro’s administration issued an arrest warrant for him on charges of conspiracy, usurpation and the falsification of public documents — charges that he has vehemently denied.
González gained prominence when he was named as the substitute candidate for opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was barred from participating in the elections.
Corina Machado recently met with opposition leaders in Panama, advocating for a democratic transition in Venezuela. She insisted she would return before the end of the year to run for president.
