Edmundo Gonzalez Assures South Florida Conference he Plans to Face Maduro

Venezuelan President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez assured attendees at the World Strategic Forum he intends to challenge Dictator Nicolas Maduro by returning to Venezuela for his presidential inauguration on January 10th. 

Speaking to Florida International University’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom’s director, Carlos Diaz Rosillo, Gonzalez explained he would travel to Venezuela from Spain, where he is currently exiled, to demand he be inaugurated as Venezuela’s rightful president. 

After Gonzalez’s presidential elections victory last summer, Maduro’s electoral commission declared Maduro as the winner without showing proof of the votes he received. 

Director Rosillo argued “there must be consequences” for those who fraudulently violated Venezuela's presidential elections. 

Gonzalez, who was speaking to an audience of CEOs and private sector leaders, outlined his plans for converting Venezuela into the “energetic hub of the Americas.”

Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world and millions of  hectares of natural gas resources. 

Venezuela’s elections follow failed negotiations between Venezuela’s government and President Joe Biden’s administration over electoral assurances in exchange for sanctions relief.

Despite promises of allowing free and fair elections, the Venezuelan regime barred opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from participating in the same.

However, Machado invested her political capital into former Venezuelan Ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who subsequently won the presidential elections.

Subsequently, Gonzalez was forced to seek political asylum in Spain after the Maduro regime threatened to arrest him.

Now, all eyes are turning to President-elect Donald Trump in anticipation of his policies towards Venezuela. 

Some reports suggest he may be facing pressure to continue Biden’s conciliatory approach in order to secure immigration enforcement in Venezuela. 

Meanwhile, however, President Trump’s cabinet picks, such as Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio, have lobbied for a hardline approach to Venezuela with the ultimate goal of a democratic transition. 

Moreover, Trump allies, such as Representative Maria-Elvira Salazar (R-FL), have similarly opted for a tough approach to Venezuela, arguing for Trump to reinstate sanctions as he did during his first administration.