Blinken reaffirms support for Edmundo González Urrutia and blames Maduro for his exile: "It is the result of anti-democratic measures"

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed U.S. support for Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, Venezuelan opposition candidate. Blinken's message came after it became known that Gonzalez Urrutia had to go into exile in Spain.

"Edmundo González Urrutia remains an indisputable voice for peace and democratic change in Venezuela. His message of a democratic restoration in Venezuela has inspired the hopes and aspirations of the Venezuelan people and resulted in a powerful call for change in the July 28 presidential election," Blinken said in a statement released by the State Department.

The head of U.S. diplomacy maintained that Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile due to the anti-democratic actions of Nicolas Maduro's regime.

"His departure from Venezuela is the direct result of the anti-democratic measures that Nicolás Maduro has unleashed on the Venezuelan people, including against González Urrutia and other opposition leaders, since the election," Blinken stressed.

In addition, the secretary of state stressed that, in his opinion, Venezuelans expressed themselves in favor of freedom last July 28 in the elections. The Venezuelan opposition insists that González Urrutia won the electoral process with more than 60% of the vote, according to the electoral records they have shown.

"On July 28, the Venezuelan people overwhelmingly and unequivocally expressed their desire for democratic change. The election results and the will of the people cannot be merely swept aside by Maduro and the Venezuelan electoral authorities. We stand with González Urrutia in his call to continue the struggle for liberty and the restoration of democracy in Venezuela," the secretary said.

"The United States strongly condemns Maduro’s decision to use repression and intimidation to cling to power by brute force rather than acknowledge his defeat at the polls"Antony Blinken, Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State explained that, in the past six weeks, Maduro has unjustly detained nearly two thousand Venezuelans, used censorship and threats to silence the opposition and violated Venezuelan laws to remain in power against the will of Venezuelans.

"We call on Maduro to cease the repression and immediately release all those unjustly detained. The United States will continue to work with our international partners to defend democratic freedoms in Venezuela and ensure Maduro and his representatives are held accountable for their actions," Blinken said.

“We will continue the fight”

Meanwhile, Gonzalez Urrutia said he will continue the fight for Venezuela's freedom from exile.

“I am confident that soon we will continue the struggle to achieve freedom and the recovery of democracy in Venezuela,” said the 75-year-old diplomat, who vindicates his victory in the elections, in a 41-second audio released by his press team.