A Venezuelan Court Orders the Arrest of Edmundo González, According to the Prosecutor's Office

The first instance control court in Venezuela yesterday accepted the request of the Public Ministry and ordered the arrest of opposition ex-candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who self-proclaimed himself the winner of the presidential elections held at the end of July. This information was released by the Prosecutor's Office itself in an Instagram message that reproduced its request to the judicial authority, but no document confirming its acceptance was provided.

The document, signed by Assistant Prosecutor Luis Ernesto Dueñez, requested González's detention for alleged crimes including "usurpation of functions," "forgery of public documents," "incitement to disobey laws," "conspiracy," "sabotage causing system damage," and "association." This request came after the opposition leader failed to appear at the Prosecutor's Office on Friday, which is investigating him for publishing data online that would allegedly prove his victory in the July 28 elections. It was the third time he refused to appear, and the Public Ministry had already warned that if he did not attend, it would be considered a "flight risk" and a "risk of obstructing" investigations.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) and the Supreme Court of Justice, two bodies controlled by Chavismo, declared President Nicolás Maduro as the winner, results that have been internationally questioned.