Venezuela Sets $100K Bounty on Opposition Candidate

Facts

• Pres. Nicolas Maduro's government on Thursday announced a $100K reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González. The exiled leader has been living in Spain since October.^[1][2]
• Authorities released a "wanted" photo of the 75-year-old González who fled Venezuela in October while claiming victory in the July presidential polls. He also pledged to return and be sworn in as president on Jan. 10 instead of Maduro.^[3][4]
• The government has accused Gonzalez — recognized as "president-elect" by the US and European parliament — of conspiracy and racketeering, while Venezuela’s supreme court and election body declared Maduro the winner.^[4][5]
• Following the Scientific, Criminal, and Forensic Investigations Agency's bounty declaration, González’s campaign said he was leaving Spain on an "international tour" and would meet Argentine Pres. Javier Milei Saturday.^[6][7]
• The opposition has urged mass protests against Pres. Maduro's inauguration. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who went into hiding, reportedly released a video in which she stated: "we'll see each other in the streets in January."^[8][9]
• Gonzalez, too, urged Venezuelans to "commit together to upholding" his electoral mandate. Many opposition leaders claimed to be under "siege" by authorities, with some living under asylum in the Argentine embassy in Caracas.^[9][10]

Sources: ^[1]BBC News, ^[2]Reuters, ^[3]Al Jazeera, ^[4]Guardian, ^[5]Firstpost, ^[6]Los Angeles Times, ^[7]The Straits Times, ^[8]Buenos Aires Times, ^[9]France 24 and ^[10]CNN.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Atlantic Council and The Atlantic. Nicolás Maduro’s relentless crackdown on Venezuela’s democracy has further deepened, with opposition leader Edmundo González having fled to Spain under threat of arrest. Despite clear evidence he lost the election last year, Maduro clings to power through repression and silencing dissent with mass detentions and fake charges. This crisis exposes the international community's failure to protect Venezuelans' right to self-determination.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Washington Post. The US-led attempts to intervene in Venezuela under the guise of protecting democracy reek of dangerous hypocrisy, threatening to disrupt Latin America's long-standing peace. History shows how foreign meddling, often disguised as righteous and philanthropic intervention, fuels global conflict. Venezuela's challenges demand a solution from its people, not the heavy hand of external powers with ulterior motives. Preserving regional sovereignty is essential to genuine progress.