Venezuelans react on arrest warrant for opposition presidential candidate: Video
A Venezuelan court has issued an arrest warrant for opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
The warrant comes after Gonzalez Urrutia claimed victory in the July elections, which were officially awarded to incumbent President Nicolás Maduro. According to the prosecutor's office, the warrant is for "serious crimes," including charges related to the opposition's allegations of election fraud.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the winner of a third six-year term. This decision has been disputed by the opposition and several international actors, including the United States and the European Union, who have demanded detailed election results.
The CNE has stated that hackers corrupted the data, preventing the release of results, although there is scepticism about this claim, AFP reported.
Gonzalez Urrutia, a retired diplomat who replaced María Corina Machado as the opposition candidate, has been in hiding since the election. Maduro has called for both Gonzalez Urrutia and Machado's imprisonment. Machado, who was barred from running on charges many see as fabricated, has been leading protests against Maduro while also staying out of sight.
