(Politico)
Emma Anderson 5/1/19 4:41 PM
Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López and his family are currently in the Spanish embassy in Caracas, the Spanish government said Wednesday.
López had been freed from house arrest by a group of Venezuelan military members who support Juan Guaidó — who declared himself interim president and has been recognized by many Western countries as the country's head of state — according to Spanish newspaper El País.
In an hour-long address on Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused Guaidó and López of trying to instigate an armed confrontation that could be used to justify foreign military intervention in the country and claimed victory over the "coup-mongering far right."
El País reported Spanish government sources had confirmed López, his wife and one of his children are in the residence of Spanish Ambassador Jesús Silva Fernández, but that they have not requested political asylum.
López’s presence in the Spanish embassy puts Spain in a difficult position. Although Madrid has officially recognized Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela, it has not formally cut ties with Nicolás Maduro’s government.
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