Important Takeaways:

• Venezuela’s former opposition candidate, Edmundo González, on Wednesday said he was coerced into signing a letter effectively recognizing his defeat in July’s presidential election, which electoral authorities claim was won by President Nicolás Maduro.
• The revelation of the letter is the latest strain to the country’s political crisis, which was exacerbated by the disputed election results and González’s recent departure for exile in Spain.
• The document states it was meant to be confidential, but Jorge Rodríguez, head of the National Assembly and Maduro’s chief negotiator, presented it during a nationally televised press conference hours after a local news outlet published parts of it.
• “They showed up with a document that I would have to sign to allow my departure from the country,” González said. “In other words, either I signed or I would face consequences. There were very tense hours of coercion, blackmail and pressure.”
• The opposition coalition collected tally sheets from 80% of the nation’s electronic voting machines and posted them online. González and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the voting records showed the former diplomat won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro.
• González then became the subject of an arrest warrant over an investigation into the publishing of the tally sheets.
• Venezuela’s next presidential term begins Jan. 10 and lasts six years.

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