Venezuela's opposition candidate says his son-in-law was kidnapped in Caracas

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - CARACAS — Self-exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González says his son-in-law was kidnapped on Tuesday in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

González was traveling in the United States when his son-in-law Rafael Tudares was kidnapped while on his way to drop off his children at school.

In a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, González said “hooded men, dressed in black” intercepted his vehicle and forced Tudares into a “gold colored van”.

González did not offer any information on the children, and whether they had also been kidnapped. But his daughter, Mariana, in a post on X had clarified that the attackers only took her husband, and got the children out of the car.

The kidnapping happened despite a significant increase in police and military presence across Caracas since New Year’s Day ahead of Friday’s oath swearing ceremony for Nicolás Maduro, who the government says won a third term in office, in a highly disputed and controversial July election.

González, a retired diplomat, represented his country’s Unitary Platform opposition coalition in the presidential election, which he and Maduro both claim to have won. In a statement, the coalition described Tudares’ kidnapping as a “forced disappearance for political reasons”.

“We demand the immediate release of Rafael Tudares and all political prisoners, who are hostages of a regime that knows it is rejected by the vast majority of Venezuelans who spoke with the force of the vote (on July 28),” the coalition said in the statement.

González left Venezuela for exile in Spain in September after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest for an election-related investigation. In recent weeks, González vowed to return to his homeland, to take the oath of office.

González, who’s 75-years-old is currently touring the United States to rally support for his initiative to remove Maduro from office by Friday. That’s when Maduro, by law, begins his next presidential term, after taking the oath.

Visiting the US capital, González met with US President Joe Biden in the White House on Monday. He’s also met with Republican US House Representative Michael Waltz, who’s the US President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser designate.

González, who has been recognised by several governments including the US as Venezuela’s president-elect, has not revealed how he plans to return to his country or strip Maduro, whose ruling United Socialist Party has a firm grip and control on all branches of Venezuela’s government.

González had never run for office before July. He was selected in April as a last minute stand-in for opposition powerhouse María Corina Machado. Machado was blocked by the Maduro-controlled Supreme Tribunal of Justice from running for any office.

Since the election, Machado had been organising protests across the country, urging supporters to use their voice to force Maduro’s departure. A protest was organised for Friday, but it remains unclear whether anyone will heed her calls and take to the streets, especially with the heightened security protocols in place.

As for González, just hours after the kidnapping of his son-in-law, he announced to his supporters that he will continue his multi-country tour with the next stop being in Panama. — Euronews