(9 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – 09 January 2025
++MOBILE PHONE FOOTAGE++
1. Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo González arrives at a rally of supporters
2. González’s supporters wave flags
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Edmundo González, Venezuelan Opposition Leader:
“This square is full of joy and Venezuelans. At this moment, the streets of Caracas are overflowing with other compatriots who are demanding freedom for Venezuela.”
4. González supporters sing the Venezuelan national anthem
5. Supporters back González
STORYLINE:
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Edmundo González said Thursday that he plans to return “very soon” to the South American country despite threats from President Nicolás Maduro, who is set to be sworn in on Friday.
González, who fled to Spain in September and has been crisscrossing the Americas this week, appeared to back down from his pledge to return to Venezuela and take office himself on Jan. 10. Instead, he said he’d be back “very soon.”
González was welcomed by Dominican President Luis Abinader and a delegation of former presidents from several Latin American countries who recognize him as the winner of July’s presidential elections.
After the meeting at the National Palace, González joined hundreds of supporters waving Venezuelan flags at a park by the seaside in Santo Domingo.
At the rally, Edmundo González said that while this place is full of Venezuelans,” at this very moment, the streets of Caracas are crowded with other compatriots demanding freedom for Venezuela.”
In September last year, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, also stacked with government loyalists, declared Maduro the winner of the election. But unlike in previous contests, authorities did not provide any access to voting records or precinct-level results.
The opposition, however, collected a tally that clearly favored its candidate, Edmundo González.
Experts from the United Nations and the Atlanta-based Carter Center, both of which were invited by Maduro’s government to observe the election, stated that the tally sheets published by the opposition are legitimate.
The U.S. and other governments have also recognized González as Venezuela’s president-elect. Even many of Maduro’s former leftist allies in Latin America plan to skip Friday’s swearing-in ceremony.
AP video by Martin Adames
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/065916270784478ab04f1cb709734cf7
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in January 14, 2025, 9:05 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
