Venezuelan opposition leader seeks refuge in Spanish embassy
Thursday, May 2, 2019 @ 2:50 PM
RECENTLY-FREED Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López and his wife have moved into the Spanish embassy in the capital, Caracas, but Spain's government says they have not applied for asylum as yet.
After his release yesterday (Tuesday), López – along with disputed national president Juan Guaidó – made an appeal to the military to rise up against deposed dictator Nicolás Maduro, leading to mass demonstrations in the street both in favour and against their move.
Spain said it it stood by Guaidó as president, but would not tolerate a military coup and urged him to call a democratic election, whilst European Parliamentary president Antonio Tajani said López's release made yesterday 'an historic day' and augured the start of freedom and democracy again in Venezuela.
Whilst Venezuelans based in Spain gathered in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, brandishing their national flags and championing Guaidó, López and his wife Lilian Tintori (pictured) and their 15-month-old daughter are said to have set up a temporary home in the Spanish embassy.
They initially sought refuge in that of Chile, but were reported today to have moved to that of Spain 'of their own free will', but not with any apparent intention of seeking asylum on Spanish soil.
Protests and riots across Venezuela, particularly in Caracas, on Tuesday caused one death and left at least 100 injured.
Maduro has called for the people and the military to retaliate and not to allow what he calls a coup d'état against his régime.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com