Venezuela Summons Opposition Leader Over Disputed Election Website

Venezuela's attorney general's office has issued a second summons for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, 74, regarding an opposition website that published the disputed presidential election results. The summons calls for Gonzalez to testify about several alleged crimes. Tensions are high as protests have led to numerous deaths and arrests.

Venezuela's attorney general's office announced on Monday that it has issued a second summons for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez to answer questions regarding an opposition website that published detailed results of the country's disputed presidential election last month. Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, was first summoned over the weekend but failed to appear by noon on Monday, according to Reuters witnesses.

The new summons, shared on social media by the prosecutor's office, requires Gonzalez to appear on Tuesday at 10 a.m. to testify about alleged usurpation of electoral authority functions, falsification of official documents, incitement of illegal activity, and other crimes. In a social media video on Sunday, Gonzalez claimed he was being called for an interview without precise details of his testimony conditions and pre-accused of crimes he did not commit.

Under Venezuelan law, an arrest warrant can be issued if a summons is violated three times. The national electoral authority and the country's top court have named President Nicolas Maduro as the victor of the July 28 election, but opposition-tallied results showed a significant victory for Gonzalez. The opposition, several Western countries, and international bodies including a UN panel have demanded the release of full election tallies, accusing the government of a lack of transparency and fraud.

Since the vote, protests have resulted in at least 27 deaths and 2,400 arrests. Detentions of opposition figures and protesters have continued, exacerbated by a new law tightening regulations on NGOs and a crackdown on pro-opposition state employees. The unfolding political crisis has further polarized Venezuelan society, highlighting long-standing issues of governance and election integrity.

(With inputs from agencies.)