Caracas, Sep 5 (EFE).- Venezuela‘s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, said Thursday that the arrest warrant remains in force against the standard-bearer of the main opposition coalition – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) -, Edmundo González Urrutia, and the investigation against him related to the allegation of fraud in the presidential elections of July 28.
“You are wanted by the court, you are obliged to appear, the arrest warrant is in force,” Saab told reporters, referring to the opposition candidate, whose lawyer, José Vicente Haro, yesterday handed the prosecutor a document explaining the reasons why the former presidential candidate did not attend the three summonses made by the Prosecutor’s Office, after which the arrest warrant was issued.
After speaking with Haro, Saab stressed that “the Public Prosecutor’s Office ratifies the summons, with the arrest warrant in progress,” so that González Urrutia can be “interviewed,” since he has been accused of “usurpation of functions,” “forgery of public documents,” “instigation to disobedience of laws,” “conspiracy,” “sabotage to damage systems” and “association (to commit a crime).”
“By refusing to appear, (the anti-Chavez man) is obstructing the investigation,” the prosecutor stressed, after confirming that Haro told him that he would try to convince the 75-year-old politician to attend this summons, something that has not been confirmed by the lawyer.
According to Saab, the document sent by González Urrutia, in which he requests that his constitutional right to the presumption of innocence be respected, “is totally out of place,” and with it the former candidate intends to “declare himself above the law,” since – he insisted – he does not enjoy privileges or immunities to avoid summons from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In the text in question, González Urrutia indicates his willingness to participate, together with representatives of the coalition and Chavismo, in an “autonomous verification,” with “independent experts,” of the results of the presidential elections that, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE), gave victory to President Nicolás Maduro, which has been questioned inside and outside the country.
Saab reiterated that this entire judicial process has to do with the responsibility of the anti-Chavez activist in the dissemination of a website in which the PUD published “83.5% of the electoral records” that – the coalition claims – show that the opposition won the elections by a wide margin.
.
#Tarek #William #Saab #assures #arrest #warrant #González #Urrutia #remains #place
2024-09-06 22:01:34
What are the specific allegations against Edmundo González Urrutia that led to the issuance of the arrest warrant?
Table of Contents
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo González Urrutia Faces Arrest Warrant Amidst Fraud Allegations
In a recent development, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab has confirmed that the arrest warrant against opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia remains in force. This comes after González Urrutia, the standard-bearer of the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), failed to comply with three summonses issued by the Prosecutor’s Office regarding allegations of fraud in the presidential elections held on July 28.
According to Saab, González Urrutia is wanted by the court and is obliged to appear, stressing that the arrest warrant is still in progress [[1]]. The opposition candidate has been accused of five crimes, including usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, instigation to disobedience of laws, conspiracy, sabotage to damage systems, and association to commit a crime [[2]].
Saab emphasized that González Urrutia’s refusal to appear is obstructing the investigation, and that the Public Prosecutor’s Office ratifies the summons with the arrest warrant in progress [[3]]. The prosecutor also dismissed González Urrutia’s request to respect his constitutional right to the presumption of innocence, labeling it as “totally out of place” and an attempt to “declare himself above the law”.
The United States has condemned the arrest warrant, with the State Department issuing a statement expressing concern over the situation [[1]]. This development has sparked international attention, with human rights groups and political analysts monitoring the situation closely.
González Urrutia’s lawyer, José Vicente Haro, has handed the prosecutor a document explaining the reasons behind his client’s failure to attend the summonses. However, Saab has stressed that González Urrutia does not enjoy privileges or immunities to avoid summons from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The opposition leader has expressed willingness to participate in an “autonomous verification” of the presidential election results, together with representatives of the coalition and Chavismo, and with the assistance of independent experts. This proposal has sparked interest, with many seeing it as a potential way to resolve the crisis.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how González Urrutia will respond to the arrest warrant and the allegations against him. The international community will be closely watching the developments in Venezuela, with many calling for a peaceful and democratic resolution to the crisis.
References:
What crimes is Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia accused of amid the arrest warrant?
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo González Urrutia Faces Arrest Warrant Amidst Fraud Allegations
In a recent development, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab has confirmed that the arrest warrant against opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia remains in force. This comes after González Urrutia, the standard-bearer of the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), failed to comply with three summonses issued by the Prosecutor’s Office regarding allegations of fraud in the presidential elections held on July 28.
According to Saab, González Urrutia is wanted by the court and is obliged to appear, stressing that the arrest warrant is still in progress [[1]]. The opposition candidate has been accused of five crimes, including usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, instigation to disobedience of laws, conspiracy, sabotage to damage systems, and association to commit a crime [[2]].
Saab emphasized that González Urrutia’s refusal to appear is obstructing the investigation, and that the Public Prosecutor’s Office ratifies the summons
