Venezuela’s former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González issued a call Saturday for new presidential elections as interim President Delcy Rodríguez nears the five-month milestone of her administration following a U.S. military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power in early January.
The 76-year-old former diplomat received international recognition as the rightful victor of July 2024’s contested elections during a period marked by post-election turmoil and street demonstrations, with opposition groups claiming electoral fraud had occurred.
International observers validated electoral documentation demonstrating González had defeated Maduro in the voting.
Through a social media post, González declared the time has come to “build the conditions for holding presidential elections that serve as citizen instruments for change” while helping to restore institutional order and establish groundwork for governmental stability.
González’s statement arrives nearly five months after Rodríguez took control on January 5, subsequent to Maduro’s detention along with his spouse, both now facing legal proceedings in the United States.
Rodríguez, previously an associate of Maduro, received official recognition from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, leading to bilateral advancement on multiple agreements encompassing sanction removals, oil and energy sector discussions, and diplomatic relationship restoration.
Both Caracas and Washington have provided no signals that Venezuelan elections are approaching in the near future. U.S. recognition of Rodríguez as Venezuela’s exclusive leader has enabled her to restore connections with Western financial institutions and collaborate more openly with American business interests.
González emphasized that any electoral process must include “independent referees,” domestic and international monitoring, and political diversity among other requirements, while demanding political prisoner releases and “an end to the persecution” as essential conditions.
The opposition figure declared himself the “guardian” of his supporters’ mandate, who selected “freedom” for Venezuela during the 2024 election. González has remained in Spanish exile since September following arrest warrant issuance by Maduro’s government on conspiracy, usurpation and document falsification allegations — accusations he has strongly rejected.
González rose to prominence after being selected as replacement candidate for opposition leader María Corina Machado, who faced electoral participation restrictions.
Corina Machado held recent discussions with opposition figures in Panama, promoting democratic transition in Venezuela. She declared her intention to return by year’s end to seek the presidency.
