Maduro government pressured me to resign using my son-in-law, says Venezuela's president-elect

Edmundo González Urrutia, Venezuela's president-elect, revealed that the outgoing Nicolás Maduro government attempted to coerce his resignation. The pressure tactic involved the imprisonment of his son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, who was held for 380 days before his release in January 2026.

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I am absolutely convinced that this kidnapping was because of me.

"I am absolutely convinced that this kidnapping was because of me," González stated in an interview with the Spanish newspaper Artículo 14. He had sought asylum in Spain after fleeing Venezuela following the presidential elections on July 28, 2024. His daughter informed him that her husband would be freed if González resigned from the presidency. However, she also pleaded with him not to do so. "I didn't do it, of course. And I never will," he declared.

González, a leader within the Unitary Platform that united various opposition parties under María Corina Machado, emphasized his unwavering commitment. He affirmed his support for Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as the candidate for future presidential elections. "If I got into this, it's because I am convinced that she has the qualities to exercise the presidency well. I will be loyal until the last day," he stressed.

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My daughter communicated to me that her husband would be released if I resigned from the Presidency of the Republic, but in the same conversation, she herself asked me: ‘don't do it.’ I didn't do it, of course. And I never will.

The president-elect also highlighted the importance of maintaining a unified political strategy for the Venezuelan opposition. He pledged not to participate in "maneuvers or last-minute changes of position." González insisted that the Venezuelan population deserves transparency and respect, particularly in a future electoral scenario that facilitates a "peaceful transition." He further stated that presidential elections should serve as a "citizen instrument for change, contributing to the democratic reinstitutionalization of the country and laying the foundation for a stable and lasting government that includes us all."

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If I got into this, it's because I am convinced that she has the qualities to exercise the presidency well. I will be loyal until the last day.