Madrid, Oct. 28, (dpa/GNA) – Venezuelan opposition figure Leopoldo Lopez on Tuesday pledged to continue working to “free Venezuela” after his escape to Spain, saying he would seek transparent elections and bring those responsible for human rights violations to justice.
“We have the hope of freeing Venezuela,” Lopez said at a press conference in Madrid after meeting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Lopez arrived in the Spanish capital on Sunday after reportedly crossing secretly into Colombia.
He had previously stayed at the Spanish diplomatic compound in Caracas for one and a half years.
Lopez’s escape worsened the already tense relations between Venezuela and Spain, with Madrid rejecting accusations from Caracas that it had unlawfully helped the opposition politician to leave the country.
“We want free, fair and verifiable presidential elections,” Lopez said on Tuesday.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro won a second term in 2018 elections that most of the opposition regarded as fraudulent. The majority of the opposition parties also intend to boycott parliamentary elections scheduled for December.
Lopez said he would also work to bring those responsible for human rights violations before international tribunals.
Maduro has presided over an economic meltdown and is accused of heavily repressing the opposition. He has been engaged in a power struggle with opposition leader Juan Guaido since 2019.
Lopez was jailed in 2014 after calling for protests against Maduro and was released into house arrest in 2017.
He was freed from house arrest in 2019, but fled to the Spanish diplomatic compound following a failed opposition uprising.
GNA