Maduro Opponent Defies Venezuela High Court Summons

Caracas, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2024) Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who claims to be the rightful winner of the country's presidential election, on Wednesday defied a Supreme Court summons over the disputed results.

Election authorities declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July 28 vote without releasing detailed results, prompting the opposition to cry foul and sparking protests last week which left at least 24 people dead, according to rights groups.

Multiple countries, including the United States and several Latin American nations, have recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner, and have called on Venezuela to publish election data.

Maduro, who has called for Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to be locked up, took the dispute to the Supreme Court to have his victory "validated.

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Election authorities said they had handed the election data to the court -- both institutions are widely considered to be loyal to Maduro's government.

The 74-year-old Gonzalez Urrutia, who had been summoned to appear in court on Wednesday morning, said he doubted how impartial the procedure would be.

"I will be jeopardizing not only my freedom but, more importantly: the will of the Venezuelan people expressed on July 28," he said on social media.

He said Maduro has stated "that if I do not appear, I will incur legal responsibilities, and that if I appear and file copies (of voting records), there will also be serious criminal responsibilities."

The president of the court, Caryslia Rodriguez noted his "failure to comply with the summons."