Venezuela's government offers $100K reward for whereabouts of opposition's presidential candidate

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's government on Thursday announced a $100,000 reward for information on the whereabouts of Edmundo González, the opposition candidate who claims to have defeated President Nicolás Maduro in last year's election.

The announcement came eight days before Venezuela's next presidential term is set to begin.

''A $100,000 reward is offered to anyone who provides information about his location,'' the press office of the country's Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations Agency said in the caption of an Instagram post showing a wanted-like bulletin with González's photo and instructions to turn him in to authorities.

Hours after the government's announcement, González's campaign said the former ambassador would kick off an international tour with a visit to Argentina, where he would meet with President Javier Milei on Saturday.

González left Venezuela in September for exile in Spain after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest as part of an investigation linked to the July 28 presidential election, which the country's National Electoral Council, stacked with ruling-party loyalists, said was won by Maduro.

However, unlike previous presidential elections, electoral authorities did not provide detailed vote counts. Yet, the opposition collected tally sheets from 80% of the nation's electronic voting machines, posted them online and said the voting records showed that the faction's candidate, González, had won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro.

Global condemnation over the lack of transparency prompted Maduro to ask Venezuela's high court, also stacked with ruling-party loyalists, to audit the results. The court subsequently reaffirmed his victory.

Maduro has already received an invitation from the National Assembly for a Jan. 10 swearing in ceremony.

Meanwhile, González has said he plans to return to the country by that date, but he has not explained how he intends to do so or what his plans are upon arrival.

In the days after his arrival in Spain, González said that in order to leave Venezuela, Maduro's allies had coerced him into signing a letter effectively recognizing his defeat in July's presidential election.

Milei's government has been a strong supporter of Venezuela's main opposition coalition, including by sheltering five members of the faction since March at the Argentine diplomatic compound in the capital, Caracas.