Leopoldo López: "I did not want to leave Venezuela. But I will return and we will liberate the country"

• After the flight, Nicolás Maduro purges his Interior Minister after the escape of Leopoldo López

• Venezuela: Suicidal operation to free Leopoldo López

Not his wife, not his father, not his lawyer, not other Venezuelan dissidents.

After years of being its speaker in Spanish territory, this Tuesday it was Leopoldo López himself, a former political prisoner of Chavismo and today as Presidential Commissioner for the Center of Government of the president in charge of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, who has addressed directly to the means to shed light on the doubts and unknowns surrounding his escape.

Wrapped up by his own (among the audience was his wife, his parents, his children and Juan Guaidó's ambassador in Spain, Antonio Ecarri Bolívar, and Yon Goicoechea) and faced with great expectation on both sides of the

, López has explained his plans.

He has entered smiling, along with Lilian Tintori, and a Venezuelan flag, and has indicated in his first words:

.

However, López assured that he will return to "build the best Venezuela" and stressed that "we are convinced that Venezuela will be free."

López has not offered any details of how his departure from Venezuela was orchestrated, nor by what route it occurred, he has only indicated that his plan was known by five people and that his wife did not even know him.

As for the discreet arrival at Madrid airport, he pointed out that it was a surprise for his children.

"I arrived by commercial plane, I asked that they could take me out discreetly, what I was most excited about was to surprise my children."

Nor has he given details of what status he is currently in in Spain.

"I have no greater precision about it. If I have refugee status, which allows me to be in Spain, I go out to work, to bring the voice of those who cannot take it today," he added.

Leopoldo López: "I did not want to leave Venezuela. But I will return and we will liberate the country"

He has sent his thanks to Ambassador Jesús Silva and applauded his work. He has considered him

and the firmness he should have with the cause of Venezuela."

As he already said on social media after leaving the country: "

, we will continue to unwaveringly fulfill the responsibilities assigned as Commissioner for the Government Center of the Interim Government of Venezuela."

And today he has divided his work outside the country into three points: "Promote, promote that a free, fair, verifiable presidential election can be materialized in Venezuela; make those responsible for human rights violations subject to international justice, there are the mechanisms and the reports, now we have to bring all that precision with which the crimes have been identified to the International Criminal Court; third, we will dedicate ourselves to finding all the mechanisms to be able to alleviate the suffering of our people, guarantee aid humanitarian and economic crisis in one of the deepest crises that are currently being experienced in the entire planet ".

He also insisted on part of the mantra that Juan Guaidó usually pronounces.

He has urged

.

"Political unity is a priority," he added.

Meeting with Pedro Sánchez

Regarding the meeting with Pedro Sánchez, in Ferraz, who has not been as president but as leader of the PSOE, he has indicated that he has been "cordial" and that he has seen Sánchez with "a lot of empathy" in terms of the determination to celebrate free elections.

In a message to other formations that make up the Government and that are not related to the Venezuelan opposition, he has been optimistic: "I have the deepest convention that the cause of Venezuela has to be supported by each of the parties that believe in the democracy".

"At the meeting the position of Sánchez de Maduro was very clear to me" and he pointed out that "the president is going to be proactive and help us to lead this process of liberation of our people."

.

To the president he raised "the possibility of promoting sanctions against human rights violators in Venezuela."

And he made reference to the list of 56 people to whom the last UN report already pointed to "be sanctioned by Europe" and "a very clear strategy can be promoted and that allows sanctions to promote change in Venezuela." .

Asked if he had any commitment to the Government not to make statements, he clarified that

.

Regarding those who have pointed out that with his departure an interim government in exile is established, he has been resounding: "My departure has no impact that a government in exile is going to be organized."

Regarding the position taken by Henrique Capriles in the face of the elections, he only said that it is "different" from his, but that it was already clear that 6-D is a "fraud", in reference to the fact that it was going to be presidential candidate finally unchecked.

Behind Leopoldo López, who plans to make an international tour as far as possible due to the pandemic, wore the Venezuelan flag and the logo of the Government in charge, of which he is part.

Around 50 media were gathered

in person and the Government of Juan Guaidó broadcast the appearance online.

The dialogue

In addition to calling Maduro a "murderer", he clarified that the dialogue was buried several times by the revolutionary leader.

López has looked towards the transition, which must "have to include people who have been in the power structures of the dictatorship."

Landing in Madrid

The former most representative political prisoner of Chavismo, Leopoldo López, landed in Madrid on Sunday with total discretion and without anyone being able to capture the moment.

The Spanish Government confirmed his arrival in our country through a statement.

A large part of his family is in Spain.

It was his party, Voluntad Popular, which shared the most anticipated moment for López on Twitter:

.

Through the same social network, his father also made his joy public: "Very happy to meet my son in Madrid and enjoy his freedom in the company of the family. Thanks to Spain for its consistent support of democratic principles."

Leopoldo López Gil, who arrived in our country in 2014, has denounced on multiple occasions not only the situation of his son, but also that of Venezuelan citizens.

Some demands that he brings to the heart of the European Union thanks to his position as MEP for the European People's Group.

The retaliation and cross-accusations came shortly after López's departure.

There were arrests and searches in his close circle and in the Spanish legation, which was criticized by the Spanish Executive.

Later, the Maduro government accused Spain of participating in the escape of the former political prisoner and Nicolás Maduro relieved General Néstor Reverol from the Ministry of Internal Relations, Justice and Peace.

López is not the only Venezuelan politician who in recent years has decided to escape.

The former mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma, or Lester Toledo, current coordinator of Humanitarian Aid for Juan Guaidó, already did.

The president in charge himself managed to leave Venezuela at the beginning of the year for an international tour, in which he was able to meet with European leaders such as Boris Johnson, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron.

He could not do it with Pedro Sánchez.

He was received with honors by the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel García Ayuso, and the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida.

Both welcomed the former political prisoner to Spain last weekend through social networks.

Later, Guaidó returned to Venezuela after that world tour.

López spent three and a half years in the Ramo Verde military prison and under house arrest for almost two years, then he took refuge in the Spanish legation on April 30 as a "guest."

López is under a 14-year sentence for public incitement to violence.

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• Madrid

• Spain

• Venezuela

• Pedro Sanchez

• Nicolas Maduro

• Lilian tintori

• Juan Guaidó

• Leopoldo Lopez

• Elections Venezuela

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