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US President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in Washington on Monday.
“President Biden is expected to meet President-elect Gonzalez Urrutia tomorrow,” a US source familiar with the plan told AFP on condition of anonymity, days after Maduro offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Gonzalez Urrutia.
The meeting remains unlisted on Biden’s public schedule issued Sunday, with uncertainty surrounding potential disruptions from an approaching winter storm in Washington.
The United States, Italy and various Latin American nations have acknowledged Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela’s legitimate president-elect, following his claimed victory over Nicolas Maduro in a disputed election, despite Maduro being officially declared the winner of the July 28 ballot.
Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, Gonzalez Urrutia departed Venezuela and initiated an international diplomatic tour ahead of the January 10 presidential inauguration date.
After visiting Buenos Aires and Montevideo, he has arrived in Washington for his scheduled meeting with President Biden, according to AFP sources.
The 75-year-old former diplomat, currently in exile in Spain since September, has stated his intention to return to Venezuela for the swearing-in ceremony.
Sharing a post on X, Gonzalez Urrutia addressed Venezuela’s military: “On January 10, by the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people, I must assume the role of commander-in-chief.”
“Many of you have expressed your desire for change along with the rest of Venezuelans, expressing it by voting against leadership that does not represent a guarantee of stability or a future” for the country, he added.
Whilst Venezuelan authorities declared Maduro victorious shortly after the July 28 election, detailed results remain unpublished. The opposition has presented extensive polling station data indicating a substantial victory for Gonzalez Urrutia.
Earlier on Sunday, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado called for widespread demonstrations on January 9, the day before inauguration.
“This day will be recorded in history as the day Venezuela said: enough!” she said in a video shared on X. “Freedom cannot be begged for… it must be conquered, it must be won.”
“This day will be recorded in history as the day Venezuela said: enough!” she said in a video shared on X. “Freedom cannot be begged for… it must be conquered, it must be won.”
Huge protests erupted after Maduro was declared the winner, sparking violent crackdowns and clashes that resulted in at least 28 deaths and over 2,000 arrests.
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