A Venezuelan judge yesterday issued an arrest warrant for the opposition candidate for President Edmundo Gonzalez on charges including usurpation of power, incitement to rebellion, conspiracy and sabotage, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The order was issued by a judge who hears terrorism cases at the request of the prosecution. It comes amid turmoil caused by the disputed presidential election in Venezuela.
Venezuelan prosecutors earlier announced that Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader María Corina Machado were being investigated on charges of usurpation of office and incitement to rebellion.
The government-loyal Central Electoral Commission declared Nicolas Maduro, in power since 2013, the winner of the July 28 presidential election. But the commission has not released the detailed results yet.
The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud and claims that Gonzalez won the election.
A number of countries, including the United States, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay and Costa Rica, recognized Gonzalez as the real winner, noting that there had been electoral fraud. The EU and the Organization of American States also questioned the election results.