Venezuelan Opposition Candidate Claims Coercion in Signing Letter Admitting Election Defeat

Venezuela’s former opposition presidential candidate, Edmundo González, revealed that he was coerced into signing a letter effectively acknowledging the victory of President Nicolás Maduro in the disputed July 2024 election.

The letter, which González claims he signed under duress, has added further strain to the nation’s ongoing political crisis.

The letter, initially intended to remain confidential, was made public by Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and a close ally of Maduro. Rodríguez presented the document during a televised press conference shortly after excerpts were leaked to local media. He stated that González had signed the letter voluntarily. However, González countered this claim in a social media video, saying he had no choice but to sign.

“They showed up with a document that I had to sign to allow my departure from the country… It was either sign or face consequences. There were hours of intense pressure, coercion, and blackmail.” González explained.

González, who has since fled to Spain where he was granted political asylum, had contested the official election results, which declared Maduro the winner. The opposition coalition, represented by González and led by María Corina Machado, claims to have won by a significant margin, presenting tally sheets from 80% of the nation’s voting machines that purportedly show González securing double the votes of Maduro.

Despite these claims, the National Electoral Council (CNE), which is aligned with Maduro, declared the president victorious just hours after the polls closed. The election results have faced widespread criticism, with the opposition and international observers condemning the lack of transparency. Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice, also loyal to Maduro, reaffirmed the official results despite the controversy.

González’s signing of the letter has deepened the political impasse. In the document, González states that while he disagrees with the court’s ruling, he would “abide by it.” Yet, in his video statement, he reiterated his claim to the presidency, calling himself the “elected president of millions of Venezuelans” and pledging to fulfill their mandate.

Rodríguez, in response to González’s assertions, threatened to release audio recordings of their conversations unless González retracted his statement within 24 hours. He dismissed the opposition leader’s claims of coercion, challenging him to explain why his daughter remained in Venezuela without issue if his departure had been forced.

The international community, including the US and the European Union, has expressed concern over the election and the treatment of opposition figures like González. Many foreign governments have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory without full disclosure of the election data.

The Associated Press, Reuters, the Guardian, BBC contributed to this report.