MADRID – Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia has publicly responded for the first time to the recent developments in Venezuela, saying that the departure of President Nicolás Maduro represents “an important step, but not enough.” González made the remarks in a Spanish-language video message released Sunday evening on social media platforms X, Facebook and Instagram.
In the video, which lasts just over three minutes, the 76-year-old politician refers to himself as the “president” and “leader” of Venezuela. González is currently living in Madrid, where he has remained since fleeing Venezuela last year with the assistance of the Dutch embassy in Caracas.
González was put forward by the opposition as its presidential candidate in the 2024 elections. Although the official results declared Maduro the winner, opposition parties and several international observers maintain that González won the election and consider him the legitimate victor.
In his message, González said that “the person who seized power is no longer in the country and is being brought to justice,” referring to Maduro. He called for the immediate release of Venezuelans detained “for thinking differently, demanding their rights, or fulfilling their constitutional duty.”
According to González, Venezuela’s recovery can only begin once all political prisoners are freed and the results of the 2024 elections are “respected.” He stressed that the restoration of democracy requires both justice and adherence to the will of the people expressed at the ballot box.
Support for González has continued to grow within the opposition. Prominent opposition figure María Corina Machado wrote in a letter on Sunday that she wants González to assume the presidency. French President Emmanuel Macron has also indicated that he sees a potential role for González in a transitional period for Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ruled on Sunday that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez will temporarily assume the presidency. Rodríguez demanded Maduro’s immediate release and described him as “the only president of Venezuela.”
Following recent U.S. airstrikes, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States would take over governance of the South American country. Trump later warned that Rodríguez would “pay a higher price” than the ousted Maduro if she “does not do what is right.”
“This is a historic moment,” González said at the conclusion of his video message. “We face it with calm, conviction, and a strong commitment to democracy.”