Venezuela opposition candidate Edmundo González leaves country for Spain

Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares said Mr González had departed the country at his own request, and on a Spanish Air Force plane.

He added that Spain’s government is committed to the political rights of all Venezuelans.

Venezuela has been in a political crisis since authorities declared President Maduro the victor of the 28 July election.

The opposition claimed it had evidence Mr González had won by a comfortable margin, and uploaded detailed voting tallies to the internet which suggest Mr González beat Mr Maduro convincingly.

A number of countries, including the United States, the European Union and several Latin American countries, have refused to recognize President Maduro as the winner without Caracas releasing detailed voting data.

Prior to leaving the country, Mr González had been in hiding for a month, ignoring three successive summons to appear before prosecutors.

Post-election violence in Venezuela has claimed 27 lives and left 192 people injured while the government says it has arrested some 2,400 people.