Venezuela: Gonzalez demands recognition of his victory, and the US seizes an oil tanker
Prominent Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia , currently living in exile in Spain, stressed that any transitional path to resolving the political crisis in his country must be based primarily on recognizing the results of the 2024 presidential elections , which the opposition maintains it won by a significant margin. González made these remarks during a phone call on Friday with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, asserting that “rebuilding democracy in Venezuela depends on the explicit recognition of the results of the July 28, 2024 elections.”
The roots of the crisis and the controversial July elections
These demands come amid a deep political crisis gripping Venezuela since the presidential elections last July. While the pro-government National Electoral Council (CNE) declared President Nicolás Maduro of a third term, the United States, the European Union, and Latin American countries questioned the integrity of the results due to the lack of detailed vote tallies. In contrast, the opposition, led by María Corina Machado and Gonzalo González, published thousands of tallies collected by their observers, showing González winning by a landslide. This led to a government crackdown that prompted González to seek asylum in Spain.
Washington is pursuing the “shadow fleet”
In parallel with the political and diplomatic efforts, the United States continues to tighten its economic noose around the Maduro regime. The US Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday the seizure of the oil tanker "Olena," the fifth such vessel to be detained in recent weeks, for attempting to violate sanctions imposed on Venezuela's energy sector.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem via the X platform that the tanker was part of what is known as the “ghost fleet,” ships that use radar-evading technology to transport illicit oil and provide financial revenue for the regime in Caracas. She noted that the seizure occurred after the ship sailed from Venezuela in a failed attempt to avoid U.S. forces, reflecting Washington’s determination to cut off the financial lifeline to the Maduro government to force it to negotiate.
The repercussions of the Venezuelan situation
This dual escalation, both political and economic, carries significant implications for the future of Venezuela and the region. On the one hand, González's resolve places the international community before its responsibilities in supporting democratic transition. On the other hand, US actions confirm that sanctions remain the primary tool of pressure. Continued stalemate is expected to exacerbate the economic and humanitarian crisis within Venezuela, potentially increasing migration flows to neighboring countries and the United States, and making the Venezuelan issue a central focus of the current US administration's foreign policy.
