Caracas, Jan 7 (EFE).- Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia canceled the rest of his agenda in the United States on Tuesday following the kidnapping of his son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, in Caracas.
«This morning, my son-in-law Rafael Tudares was kidnapped. Rafael was on his way to my grandchildren’s school to drop them off for the start of classes when he was intercepted by hooded men dressed in black, who put him in a gold van with the number AA54E2C and took him away. He is still missing,» Urrutia denounced on Tuesday.
It is still unknown whether the incident links to the state security forces, a routine arrest, or a kidnapping, as the opposition leader has claimed.
Edmundo González was due to meet with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and other lawmakers in the US Congress when he decided to cancel his schedule.
The events came to light after González Urrutia left a meeting with several Republican lawmakers, including Florida Senator Rick Scott and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, to whom he showed the records that would prove the opposition had won the Jul. 28 elections.
Both Scott and Diaz-Balart, speaking to the press, expressed their firm support for González Urrutia’s inauguration.
The Venezuelan opposition met on Monday with the outgoing president of the US, Joe Biden, but has not confirmed a forthcoming meeting with Trump.
González Urrutia, who left the country for Spain on Sep. 7, claiming that he was suffering «political and judicial persecution» in Venezuela, has a warrant out for his arrest. A reward of 100,000 dollars to anyone who provided information.
The alleged crimes of which the judicial authorities accuse the anti-Chavez member are «complicity in acts of violence against the Republic, usurpation of functions, forgery of documents, legitimization of capitals, contempt for state institutions, incitement to disobey the laws, association to commit crimes.»
González Urrutia, who claimed to have won the presidential elections held on Jul. 28, has promised to take the oath of office on Jan. 10, the date set by the constitution for the inauguration of President Nicolás Maduro.
The government said that the opposition leader and those who would help him enter Venezuela for his inauguration will be immediately arrested for the crimes he is being accused of.
Sources close to the Venezuelan politician told EFE that the delegation will travel to Panama on Wednesday «to continue the tour» of the Americas to gather international support for the inauguration on Jan. 10. EFE
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