Venezuela's Maduro must release election data, says White House
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STORY: :: The White House calls on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to release disputed election data :: Washington, D.C. :: September 9, 2024 JOURNALIST OFF-CAMERA: “What is the latest on what the U.S. is trying to do? And would they ever help Gonzalez (opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez) to come back to Venezuela?" :: John Kirby, White House national security spokesperson “I won't get into hypotheticals one way or another about Mr. Gonzalez or what his future might be. He wouldn't have had to seek political asylum if he wasn't accused of trumped up, ridiculous charges, and enforced in that manner to flee his own country. What needs to happen next is Mr. Maduro needs to heed the call of the international community and quite frankly, the Venezuelan people, and release the data so that the whole world can see what the Venezuelan people, who they voted for and that their democratic aspirations are met. We have in the past, you've seen it, levied sanctions against Mr. Maduro and his regime. I don't have any announcements today, but I can tell you we're constantly looking at what our options could be going forward depending on the decisions that Maduro makes.” Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez flew into Spain on Sunday to seek asylum, Madrid said, hours after quitting his country amid a political and diplomatic crisis over July's disputed election. Gonzalez - who has challenged President Nicolas Maduro's declaration of victory - arrived at the Torrejon de Ardoz military base with his wife, Spain's foreign ministry said in a statement. The exit of the 75-year-old - seen by the U.S., the EU and other powers in the region as the winner of the disputed vote - came a week after Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest warrant for him, accusing him of conspiracy and other crimes.
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