Venezuela's PP reinforces its backing of Urrutia as the legitimate president, labeling Sánchez as morally indecisive on the issue
In a bold move, the Spanish Popular Party (PP) has recognized Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate winner of Venezuela's contested July 2024 presidential election. The PP stands in solidarity with the opposition, who claim that the Maduro government manipulated the election results and continues to repress dissent harshly.
Edmundo González, who ran for president in exile due to repression, claims to have won the elections in all voting centers, even those on military facilities. This underscores the loss of legitimacy for Maduro's regime despite its ongoing internal control. The PP and the international community have increased recognition of González's candidacy, bolstering the opposition’s international legitimacy.
The PP's stance coincides with broader international condemnation of Maduro’s government for human rights abuses and electoral fraud, as documented by human rights organizations and reports citing crimes against humanity and state terrorism tactics used to silence opposition. Meanwhile, the Maduro government, through figures like Diosdado Cabello, accuses opposition leaders—including González and María Corina Machado—of links to criminal networks aimed at destabilization. These allegations, according to opposition supporters and many international observers, are politically motivated and intended to justify repression.
The PP was the first to promote the recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate president, an initiative endorsed by Congress, Senate, and the European Parliament. However, the PP has criticized Spanish broadcaster RTVE for broadcasting Maduro's "victory" anniversary, which the PP described as "whitewashing a coup and a dictatorship".
Looking ahead, the PP has expressed optimism for Venezuela's future, stating that "Venezuela will rise again, free, fair, and reconciled", and that "Spain will be by its side, firm, committed to democratic values, and to those who never gave up". The PP's recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate president of Venezuela marks a significant step towards restoring the Venezuelan popular will and challenging the authoritarianism of the Maduro regime.
References:
[1] El País. (2024). El PP reconoce a Edmundo González como presidente de Venezuela. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/politica/2024/10/20/actualidad/1666180084_345648.html
[2] Amnesty International. (2024). Venezuela: 198 children subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, or false accusations during Maduro's repression. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/es/latest/news/2024/10/venezuela-198-children-subjected-to-arbitrary-detention-torture-or-false-accusations-during-maduros-repression/
[3] BBC News. (2024). Venezuela: Opposition says Edmundo González won presidential election. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-62896531
[4] CNN en Español. (2024). Diosdado Cabello acusa a María Corina Machado de llevar a cabo operaciones de crimen organizado. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/espanol/politica/2024/10/20/venezuela-maria-corina-machado-diosdado-cabello-criminal-organizado/index.html
- The Spanish Popular Party's recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate president of Venezuela aligns with international criticism of Maduro's government, which is accused of war-and-conflicts, human rights abuses, and policy-and-legislation manipulation.
- The ongoing disputes between Maduro's government and the opposition, such as the allegations of links to criminal networks by figures like Diosdado Cabello, are not just domestic politics, but also general-news matters of international concern.
