Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday he respected the decision of the leader of the largest opposition coalition, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutiato leave the Caribbean nation for Spain, after applying for asylum and being granted safe passage by its government.
“I can tell Ambassador González Urrutia, in Madrid, I tell him, my respect for your decision, all my respect for the decision you made“, the president said on his weekly television show. And he assured that he had “had a difficult confrontation after July 29” with the opponent: “I was attentive to all of this and I understand the steps he took. And I respect him. And I hope everything goes well for you on your path and in your new life.“.
On Saturday, the Venezuelan government announced that González Urrutia had left the Caribbean country, with safe passage.for the sake of tranquility and political peace“, after spending “several days” sheltered in the Spanish embassy, following an asylum request.
Maduro argued that after González Urrutia left Venezuela, the country “it’s quiet“We played fairly and equitably, we won and when I say we won, it is because the peace of the country has won, today the country is calm, the country applauds what happened,” he noted.
On Sunday, the former ambassador said his departure from Venezuela to Spain “was surrounded by episodes of pressure, coercion and threats“This Monday, González Urrutia stressed that the decision to leave the Caribbean nation was made because the destiny of Venezuelans “cannot, must not be that of a conflict of pain and suffering.”
“I did it so that things can change and we can build a new stage for Venezuela,” the Venezuelan opponent said in a statement published in X. In his statement, González Urrutia calls for ““dialogue policy” and asks that “only democracy and the realization of the popular will can be the way towards” “the future of the country”, something in which he will continue to “engage”.
