Venezuela 

There's now an ironic twist in the saga of the leadership of the South American country. As we previously wrote, Panama's nascent president, Jose Raul Mulino, offered strongman and likely fraudulent president of Argentina, Nicolás Maduro, safe passage through his country to take asylum in a third (unnamed) country. Maduro dismissed that out of hand in a bordering on insulting missive.

Read More:

Venezuelan Dictator Maduro Curtly Rejects Safe Passage Offer From Panamanian President

More recently, my colleague Susie Moore wrote about the United States taking the initiative to seize a plane used by the strongman and his crooked cronies on Sept. 2.

Another Trump Win?: 

Trump Sanctions Allow US to Seize Venezuela Dictator Maduro's Presidential Plane, Transport It to Florida

Here's the irony I hinted at up top: Now, Edmundo González, the candidate in the presidential election held in July has accepted asylum overseas in Spain, as Maduro's government issued an arrest warrant for him amid a sweeping dragnet snatching up thousands of protesters and González allies:

Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo González, who the U.S. and other democracies said won the July presidential election against strongman Nicolás Maduro, arrived in Spain on Sunday to seek political asylum in a major setback for Venezuela’s democratic opposition forces. 

González’s exit from Venezuela comes in the aftermath of a regime crackdown on the opposition after the July 28 vote that Maduro asserted he won without making ballot data public. Maduro has since deployed the National Guard and the intelligence police to arrest more than 2,000 protesters and political dissidents on terrorism charges. More than 20 people lost their lives in the recent violence.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab threatened to lock up González, a 75-year-old retired diplomat, on charges of instigating demonstrations following the disputed election. The man whom many Venezuelans consider the country’s president-elect departed Saturday night on a Spanish Air Force plane to Spain, officials from both countries said. He and his wife arrived Sunday at a military airport in Madrid, Spain’s Foreign Ministry said.

Another nation, the Netherlands, had reached out to González, offering to provide asylum inside the home of the Dutch envoy to Venezuela in the capital, Caracas:

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said his government had granted shelter to González at the residence of its top envoy to Caracas on the day following the election. But last week, González indicated that he wanted to leave and continue advocating for democracy from Spain, Veldkamp said in a statement.

Oddly, Maduro's government knew about the invite from Spain for González, and said they "authorize[d]" his departure:

Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, said González had asked to leave Venezuela for Spain. Delcy Rodríguez, a senior Maduro aide, said in an Instagram post that the regime agreed to authorize González’s exit “for the tranquility and political peace of the country.”

Danger continues, however, the Wall Street Journal story (linked above) adds, for María Corina Machado, the voice seen as the highest visibility critic of Maduro's attempted steal of the Venezuelan ballot. She remarked on news of González's departure from the country:

"His life was in danger. And the mounting threats, summonses, arrest orders and even blackmail and coercion he has faced show that the regime has no scruples or limits in its obsession to silence him.”

The report continued:

María Corina Machado, who as the country’s most prominent opposition leader galvanized support behind González, remains in the country, though she faces possible arrest and finds herself increasingly isolated with many of her allies detained or in exile.

María Corina Machado defiende como «necesario» el exilio de Edmundo González y promete que llegarán «hasta el final» https://t.co/E4hDtPSjf0

— Jose Carvajal (@pampanocarvajal) September 8, 2024

[Translated]:

"María Corina Machado defends Edmundo González's exile as "necessary" and promises that they will go 'to the end."

Venezuela's interior minister also remarked on González's asylum, defending against the world's rising condemnation of Maduro in a series of Instagram posts:

[Translated}

Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's interior minister, sent a message after opposition leader Edmundo González, who requested asylum in Spain, left the country. The authority defended Maduro's administration amid the questioning.

...

"I will be brief: We will win!", wrote the Minister of the Interior in the publication.

Later, in a second post, Diosdado said: "What a sad spectacle that of the opposition at this time (...) They still do not digest or understand Edmundo González, which will only lead them to make more mistakes. We have warned you over and over again: whatever happens, We will overcome!!".

This is a developing story. RedState will provide updates as they become available.