A Venezuelan court has issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González Urrutia, a former presidential candidate whom the opposition claims won the July 28 elections with 67% of the vote. This claim stands in contrast to the National Electoral Council’s (CNE) declaration that incumbent Nicolás Maduro secured 52%, a result later confirmed by the Supreme Court upon Maduro’s request.
The warrant was requested by the pro-government Attorney General’s Office, which stated that González Urrutia had failed to comply with three summons to provide testimony. He is under investigation for several offenses, including “usurpation of functions,” “falsification of public documents,” and “conspiracy.”
In response to the initial summons, González Urrutia issued a letter condemning what he described as a blatant disregard for the constitutional and legal authority of the Electoral Body. He argued that the failure to properly count and report the election results put him at risk, citing potential violations of due process and jeopardizing both his freedom and the electorate’s will expressed during the elections.
The opposition has released approximately 83% of the voting records, claiming these documents substantiate González Urrutia’s overwhelming victory, regardless of how many votes Maduro may have received in remaining polling stations. However, the Chavist government has labeled these documents as “forged,” despite findings from The Carter Center and other independent observers to the contrary.
Following the Supreme Court’s validation of the CNE’s results, González Urrutia was declared in “contempt” for refusing to attend hearings. Attorney General Tarek William Saab has implicated him, along with opposition leader María Corina Machado, in the violence that erupted during protests after the elections, which resulted in 27 fatalities, nearly 200 injuries, and over 2,400 arrests. Saab’s office cited concerns that González Urrutia presents a flight risk and may obstruct ongoing investigations.