Edmundo González Urrutia published a video this Saturday in which he formally called for presidential elections in Venezuela, presenting it as a historical mandate derived from the popular will expressed on July 28, 2024.
In the message, González identified himself as "the last elected president of Venezuela" and asserted that the outcome of those elections cannot be erased: "That mandate is real, it is documented, it is in the records. And no one, no fraud, no threat, no pressure can erase it from the history of Venezuela."
The call comes one day after González and María Corina Machado signed the so-called "Manifesto of Panama" in Panama City, along with the Democratic Unitary Platform and the ConVzla Command, a document that proposes a roadmap for democratic transition.
In his video, González was explicit about the goal: "It is time to create the conditions for conducting presidential elections that serve as a civic instrument for change, that contribute to the democratic reinstitutionalization of the country, and lay the groundwork for a stable and genuine government that includes us all."
The opposition leader established guarantees that should accompany any electoral process: independent referees, a representative electoral register, national and international observation, political pluralism, and access to independent media.
But before all that, he emphasized, there are "non-negotiable" conditions: "The freedom of political prisoners, an end to persecution, respect for the Constitution, and the independence of the electoral power and the judiciary."
González emphasized the opposition unity achieved in Panama: "Just a few days ago, in Panama, María Corina Machado and the Democratic Forces of Venezuela met with a single purpose: the freedom of Venezuela. We are together, united on the same roadmap toward the same destination."
The Panama Manifesto is the first joint document of the Venezuelan opposition that explicitly calls for new presidential elections as a way out of the crisis, with specific preconditions that include the release of all political prisoners, the safe return of exiles, and the dismantling of the repressive apparatus.
The Venezuelan political crisis erupted when the National Electoral Council, controlled by chavismo, proclaimed Nicolás Maduro the winner with 51.20% of the votes in the July 2024 elections, while the opposition presented documents that they claimed proved González's victory.
The situation of political prisoners remains the main point of contention: Foro Penal reported that there were over 454 people detained for political reasons in May 2026, compared to the more than 8,600 that the Maduro government claims to have released.
González ended his message with a declaration of principles: "Our people chose to have peace, to have democracy, and to have freedom. They have the right for their choice to be honored. And I, as long as I have a voice, will defend that right, without hatred, without violence, but without backing down."
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