Official reports from Venezuelan government or international news agencies

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo González's Son-in-Law Kidnapped Ahead of Maduro's Inauguration

Jan 7, 2025, 07:01 PM

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González reported that his son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, was kidnapped in Caracas on Tuesday morning. Tudares was taking his children, aged 6 and 7, to school when he was intercepted by masked men dressed in black, González stated. The assailants forced Tudares into a golden SUV with the license plate AA54E2C before driving away. "He was intercepted by hooded men dressed in black, forced into a golden SUV with license plate AA54E2C, and taken away," González said. The incident comes three days before President Nicolás Maduro's scheduled inauguration on January 10 and amid heightened political tensions in the country. González, recognized by some countries as Venezuela's president-elect, had met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington D.C. the day prior. International figures, including Organization of American States Secretary-General Luis Almagro, have condemned the kidnapping and called for Tudares's immediate release. González has canceled his U.S. engagements to return to Venezuela.