Venezuela’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez should be held in contempt after he refused to attend the certification of last week’s election results.
Gonzalez, who has maintained that he rightfully won the contest, challenging incumbent Nicolas Maduro, faces up to 30 days in detention over the decision.
"If I go to the electoral chamber in these conditions, I will be totally vulnerable due to powerlessness and violation of due process, and I will put at risk not only my freedom but, more importantly, the will of the Venezuelan people as they expressed on July 28," the 74-year-old former diplomat explained on X.
The outcome of the balloting caused protests throughout the South American nation after the government-controlled National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner with 51 percent of the vote.
The NEC’s findings contradicted opposition representatives, who determined that the true tallies show Gonzalez easily defeating the socialist autocrat with the support of 67 percent of voters.
The court’s actions come as the country’s Attorney General and Maduro ally, Tarek Saab, announced on Tuesday that his office is investigating Gonzalez and his party leader for allegedly inciting security officials to break the law by asking them to “stand by the people” during the many demonstrations that are taking place against the ruling regime.
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