The Venezuelan prosecutor’s office on Monday requested a court specializing in crimes of “terrorism” issue a “arrest warrant” against the flag-bearer of the largest opposition coalition, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutiafor his “alleged commission of the crimes of usurpation of functions” and “falsification of a public document”, in relation to the electoral archives of the presidential election of July 28.
The request is made after The prosecution will summon González Urrutia three times and the opponent decided not to appear, not knowing in what capacity he should appear and not recognizing the crimes attributed to him by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
According to a document from the tax authority dated today, the anti-Chavista is also accused of “inciting disobedience to the laws”, “conspiracy”, “sabotage with the aim of damaging the systems and the association (to commit a crime)”.
The investigation into González Urrutia is linked to the publication of a website on which the main opposition coalition – the United Democratic Platform (PUD) – claims to have posted “83.5% of the electoral files” collected by witnesses and members of the table on election night to support its complaint of fraud in the presidential elections.
The PUD published this report, which the executive calls “false”, after the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Nicolás Maduro the winner of the elections, something that has been questioned by many countries, some of which maintain that González Urrutia won by a wide margin.
Last Thursday, when the third summons was made public, the prosecutor warned that if he did not appear again, a “corresponding arrest warrant would be issued”, considering that he “risks absconding”.
On August 25 – the date on which the first summons was issued -, through a video published on social networks, González Urrutia stated that the deputy “intended to subject him to an interview without specifying under what conditions he should appear and prequalifying the crimes not committed”.
According to him, the Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, “has behaved on several occasions like a political accuser”, since – he affirmed – “he condemns in advance and now promotes a summons without guarantees of independence and due process”.
