Edmundo González Urrutia, the contested would-be winner of the past presidential election in Venezuela for the Platform Unitaria Democrática (PUD), spent over two hours in the Dominican Republic before continuing his journey from Caracas to Madrid, where he has requested political asylum.
González Urrutia traveled aboard a Spanish Air Force plane, which made a technical stop at Las Américas International Airport for refueling on Friday, 6 September 2024, the same day US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected in Santo Domingo for talks with President Luis Abinader. The US has energetically protested the follow-up to the Venezuelan election on 28 July 2024. The electoral authorities in Venezuela insist President Nicolas Maduro won his bid for reelection, but the opposition has presented official documentation showing the contrary.
The Spanish Air Force plane landed at Las Americas International on Friday, 6 September on the way to Caracas to pick up Gonzalez Urrutia. The plane remained longer than planned as Spanish authorities worked with the Venezuelan authorities on the exit of González Urrutia. Taking González Urrutia and his wife to Spain, the plane landed at Las Americas on Sunday, 8 September on the way to the air force base in Madrid, Spain.
According to sources, González Urrutia arrived in the Dominican Republic at 10pm and departed at 12:28am the following morning, bound for Madrid. During his brief stay, he received assistance in the private FBO lounge operated by the international flight services company Server.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed on Sunday, 8 September 2024 that Spain will grant González Urrutia’s political asylum request. Speaking to the press in Muscat, during a stopover on his way to China with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Albares stated that the Spanish government would process and approve the asylum application.
Albares also revealed that he had spoken with González Urrutia while he was already aboard the Spanish Air Force plane, and the Venezuelan opposition leader expressed his gratitude for the support.
The landing of the plane in Santo Domingo on Friday, 6 September 2024 coincided with the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken during a press conference on his conversations with President Luis Abinader stated that during his meeting with President Abinader the situation in Venezuela was discussed. Blinken said “both Abinader and himself are deeply concerned about the trajectory in Venezuela in the wake of elections where the will of the Venezuelan people could not have been more clear.” Blinken said that getting Venezuela on a clear democratic trajectory is vital first and foremost for the Venezuelan people but also for several regional countries that have also expressed their deep concern democracy return to Venezuela and he mentioned the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
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9 September 2024