The Financial Times published a text on Sunday in which it claims that Spain was “complicit” with the government of Nicolas Maduro in the exile of Edmundo González, a Venezuelan opposition leader who arrived in our country a few weeks ago for fear of possible reprisals.
Through several expert voices, the aforementioned British media support the idea that there is “evidence” that Spain played an important role in allowing the forced exile of Edmundo González, despite the fact that this idea has been repeatedly denied.
“The available evidence seems to suggest that Spain played a role in allowing the regime to force Edmundo González into exile, a blow to Venezuelans who hoped for change and voted for him,” said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas program at CSIS in Washington.
He is not the only pundit used by the Financial Times to express this same line. They also use another voice as Christophe SabatiniLatin America expert at Chatham House.
He points out that given the circumstances of the signing, in reference to the document that Edmundo González had to sign to leave Venezuela without suffering consequences, “they violate the very notion of diplomatic asylum.”
Furthermore, Sabatini adds that this makes “the Spanish government an accomplice in the electoral theft and repression of the Maduro government.”
He feared for his life in Venezuela
One of the reasons why Edmundo González made the radical decision to leave Venezuela was because he saw Nicolas Maduro capable of doing anything against him, since the country’s security forces were “pursuing him.”
In fact, a Venezuelan court had issued an arrest warrant for González and he had been charged with conspiracy and other crimes. A maneuver by the Maduro regime, which accused the opponent of trying to overthrow it through a coup d’état.
That is why González signed a letter after several meetings with Venezuelan officials, in which he assured that his family would be safe and that the government of Nicolas Maduro would not act against them.
Although he signed it, Edmundo González later indicated that “she did not agree.” Of course, the Venezuelan opponent denied any “coercion” exerted by the Spanish government to sign the letter.
