Maduro regime offers $100,000 reward for Edmundo González

The Venezuelan authorities offer a reward of $100,000 for information leading to the capture of exiled opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who claims victory over President Nicolás Maduro in the elections of July 28, according to a police notice released this Thursday.

“Wanted. Arrest warrant. Reward: $100,000,” says a poster published by the scientific police on social networks with the photo of González Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain in September, although he has promised to return to the country to “take possession” on January 10 in place of Maduro.

Judicial sources confirmed to AFP that The poster will be displayed at airports and police checkpoints throughout the country.

On December 20, Spain granted political asylum to González Urrutia, accused by the Venezuelan Prosecutor’s Office of crimes such as “conspiracy” and “criminal association.”

The poster published by the Criminal, Scientific and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC) is aimed at “anyone who knows” of the “whereabouts” of the opponent.

The electoral authorities proclaimed Maduro re-elected for a third consecutive six-year term (2025-2031), without publishing details of the scrutiny so far. while the opposition denounces fraud and claims the victory of González Urrutia.

Post-election protests left 28 dead and about 200 injured, in addition to 2,400 detained. Three of those arrested died in prison and About 1,400 have been released on parole.

Last Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leaders called on their supporters to prepare for massive protests against the start of the third term of President Nicolás Maduro on January 10.

“The time is approaching when we will once again take to the streets of Venezuela to declare victory,” said María Corina Machado, who went into hiding after the disputed elections in July.

“Let’s get ready. See you in the streets in January.”he said in a video published on social networks, without giving details of the planned action.

The opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, exiled in Spain, urged Venezuelans to “commit together to defend” their own mandate.

Demonstrations broke out across the country after Maduro was declared the winner of the July 28 election, even though results released by the opposition appeared to show their candidate won by a landslide.

The protests left 28 dead, around 200 injured and more than 2,400 detained. Only a handful of countries, including Venezuela’s ally Russia, have recognized Maduro as the winner.

United States and the European Parliament They have recognized González Urrutia as “elected president.”

The G7 bloc, made up of the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Japan and France, said it considered González Urrutia the winner of the elections.

González Urrutia, 75, fled with his wife in September after being threatened with being arrested by the Maduro government.