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Milei Hosts Venezuelan Opposition Leader González at Casa Rosada, Recognizes Presidency Claim

Jan 4, 2025, 01:31 PM

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia arrived in Buenos Aires on Saturday to meet with Argentine President Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada. The visit marks González's return to Latin America from exile in Spain, ahead of Venezuela's scheduled presidential inauguration on January 10th, when he intends to claim the presidency. Milei recognizes González as the legitimate president-elect of Venezuela, intensifying tensions with Nicolás Maduro's government. Large crowds of Venezuelan expatriates gathered at Plaza de Mayo to support González, chanting "Libertad, libertad, libertad." The two leaders greeted the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada. During the meeting, González presented Milei with official electoral documents from Venezuela's July 28th election, which he asserts confirm his victory over Maduro. President Milei stated, "We are doing what the cause of liberty requires," and declared, "Argentina is the home of Venezuelans of the world." González's trip to Argentina is the first stop on a Latin American tour that includes Uruguay, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. He aims to garner regional support for his claim to the presidency and draw attention to the situation of political prisoners and Venezuelans seeking asylum. The Venezuelan government has issued a $100,000 reward for information leading to González's capture.