The U.S. officially recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as Venezuela's president-elect for the first time.

AP Images

Lauren Taylor Anchor

International

US requests Venezuela respect will of people, says Gonzalez is president-elect

4 hrs ago

Listen

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

The United States officially recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as president-elect of the country on Tuesday, Nov. 19, months after President Nicolas Maduro controversially declared victory in the July 2024 presidential election. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recognized Gonzalez as the Venezuelan president in a post on X and demanded that the country “respect the will of the voters.”

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

The Biden administration previously acknowledged Gonzalez won the most votes in the presidential election but failed to declare him president-elect until the week of Nov. 18.

Gonzalez responded on X.

“We deeply appreciate the recognition of the sovereign will of all Venezuelans,” Gonzalez wrote. “This gesture honors the desire for change of our people and the civic feat that we carried out together on July 28.”

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

As Straight Arrow News previously reported, Gonzalez has been exiled to Spain after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Maduro regime.

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil responded to Blinken’s acknowledgement by launching a personal attack against Maduro.

“In the last days of his government, he should dedicate himself to reflecting on his failures, getting rid of imperial and colonial complexes and going to write the memoirs of how the Bolivarian Revolution made him bite the dust of defeat, just like his predecessors,” Gil said in a statement.

Gil made no mention of the disputed election results.

Maduro has denied requests from the United States and other nations to show voting records backing up his claims of victory. Meanwhile, Maduro has led a reportedly “brutal crackdown” on his political opponents as he maintains power in the country.

Tags: Edmundo Gonzalez, Joe Biden, Venezuela, Antony Blinken, United States, Nicolas Maduro

THE U-S OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER EDMUNDO GONZALEZ AS “PRESIDENT-ELECT” OF THE COUNTRY TUESDAY… MONTHS AFTER PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO CONTROVERSIALLY DECLARED VICTORY IN THE JULY ELECTION.

U-S SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN RECOGNIZED GONZALEZ AS THE VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT IN A POST ON X AND DEMANDED THE COUNTRY “RESPECT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS.”

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PREVIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED GONZALEZ WON THE MOST VOTES BUT FAILED TO DECLARE HIM PRESIDENT-ELECT UNTIL THIS WEEK.

GONZALEZ RESPONDED ON X, WRITING, “WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION OF THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF ALL VENEZUELANS. THIS GESTURE HONORS THE DESIRE FOR CHANGE OF OUR PEOPLE AND THE CIVIC FEAT THAT WE CARRIED OUT TOGETHER ON JULY 28TH.”

AS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, GONZALEZ HAS BEEN EXILED TO SPAIN AFTER A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST WAS ISSUED BY THE MADURO REGIME.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PREVIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED GONZALEZ WON THE MOST VOTES BUT FAILED TO DECLARE HIM PRESIDENT-ELECT UNTIL THIS WEEK.

VENEZUELA’S FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDED TO BLINKEN’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY LAUNCHING A PERSONAL ATTACK.

SAYING IN A STATEMENT IN PART:

“IN THE LAST DAYS OF HIS GOVERNMENT, HE SHOULD DEDICATE HIMSELF TO REFLECTING ON HIS FAILURES… “

THE MINISTER MADE NO MENTION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS.

AFTER LEADING A BRUTAL CRACKDOWN OF HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS IN VENEZUELA… MADURO HAS DENIED REQUESTS FROM THE U-S AND OTHER NATIONS TO SHOW VOTING RECORDS BACKING UP HIS CLAIMS TO VICTORY.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

US requests Venezuela respect will of people, says Gonzalez is president-elect

Bias Distribution

Untracked Bias