Following weeks of concealment, Mr. González departed Venezuela and met his wife at the Torrejón military aviation station in Madrid at around 16:00 local time on Sunday (14:00 GMT).
The 75-year-old’s exit from the nation came amid unrest following the elections on July 28, in which President Nicolás Maduro declared victory—a claim that Mr. González and many other members of the international community contested.
He stated that he was “confident that soon we will continue the fight to achieve freedom and the recovery of democracy in Venezuela” in an audio message that his press team released.
The Venezuelan government had filed an arrest order for him before he left, accusing him of a number of “serious crimes,” including conspiracy and document forgery.
Mr. González acknowledged his arrival in Spain and thanked his followers for their messages of support. “My departure from Caracas was surrounded by episodes of pressure, coercion, and threats that I would not be allowed to leave,” he continued.
María Corina Machado, the leader of the opposition in the nation, earlier claimed on social media that he had decided to leave the country because “his life was in danger,” alleging a “brutal wave of repression” following the election.
The nation’s favorite candidate, Ms. Machado, was expected to challenge Mr. Maduro in the race, but she was unable to do so.
