Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez who claims he won last year’s presidential election against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro met with U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday.
After the White House meeting, Gonzalez said he had “a long, fruitful and cordial conversation” with Biden. “We, of course, thanked the United States government for the support it has given us in this fight for democratic recovery in Venezuela.” Gonzalez also said he expects a close relationship with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
The meeting between Gonzalez and Biden happened just days before Maduro is set to be sworn into office Friday for a third term.
Maduro has continued to claim that he was the victor in Venezuela’s July election, despite the fact that electoral authorities did not provide detailed vote counts following the election.
The opposition maintains its collection of tally sheets from more than 80% of Venezuela’s electronic voting machines prove that Gonzalez was the clear winner of the July election.
The U.S., most European countries and several Latin American countries have rejected Maduro’s claims to victory, which have been recognized by Venezuela’s top court and electoral authority.
The controversial election sparked mass protests which left nearly 30 people dead and over 2,400 arrested.
Gonzalez, a 75-year-old former diplomat, has been living in exile in Spain since the election, but has promised to return to Venezuela to be sworn into office Friday.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Monday Gonzalez would be “arrested and tried if he sets foot in Venezuela.”
Venezuela is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to Gonzalez’s capture.
