MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavista regime abducts González Urrutia's son-in-law

González Urrutia announced he still planned to go to Panama before Friday

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia called off his agenda in the United States Tuesday after announcing that his son-in-law Rafael Tudares had been abducted by Nicolás Maduro's Bolivarian regime. Both Maduro and González Urrutia claim to have won the controversial July 28, 2024, elections and said they intend to be sworn in for the 2025-2031 term on Friday.

“This morning my son-in-law Rafael Tudares was kidnapped. Rafael was on his way to the school of my 7 and 6-year-old grandchildren, in Caracas, to drop them off for the start of classes, and he was intercepted by hooded men, dressed in black, they put him in a gold-colored van, license plate AA54E2C and took him away. At this time he is missing,” the retired diplomat posted on social media from Washington, DC.

He has been living in exile in Spain since September and embarked on a tour of various countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, where he has already been recognized as President-elect.

In the days leading up to the Jan. 10 showdown, the Chavista administration has ordered troop deployments, particularly in Caracas. Opposition leader María Corina Machado also denounced interferences with her family on behalf of the Government.

“Since a few hours ago, agents of the regime have surrounded my mother's house, have placed roadblocks all over the urbanization, and have flown over the area with drones. They have also 'cut off' the electricity in the area,” Machado told her followers on X. “My mom is 84 years old, she is sick, with chronic health conditions,” she added. “Maduro and company, you have no limit in your wickedness. You cowards.”

Gonzalez Urrutia asked the Venezuelan armed forces to uphold the people's will expressed in the elections and support his inauguration. His message was not welcomed by the top brass who insisted on their loyalty to Maduro. In addition, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello warned that he would be arrested should he set foot in Venezuela. There is already a US$ 100,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Despite canceling his engagements on US soil, the opposition leader announced that he would travel to Panama to keep garnering international support.

Also Tuesday, Machado pledged to come out of her hideout by Thursday to attend a demonstration in Caracas, despite threats from Maduro. “I'm not missing it for anything. It is a historic day that all Venezuelans want to be part of. I have a mandate that I received in the primaries and a commitment to never ever abandon Venezuelans,” she told foreign media.

Machado urged all Venezuelans in the country to take to the streets as a family to the nearest point of their municipality wearing a T-shirt with one of the colors of the Venezuelan flag. Yellow, blue, or red.

“The 9th [of January] is the moment to vindicate July 28, the moment when all Venezuelans set our day of meeting and that all the eyes of the world are placed on what corresponds: the truth, a united people and not a farce. That is why we set the date and not the regime,” Machado also explained.