Opposition Leopoldo López apparently leaves the Spanish embassy

Icon: enlarge

López under house arrest in Caracas (archive image)

Photo: ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES / REUTERS

Leopoldo Lopéz has been stuck in the Spanish embassy in Caracas since last spring, and now the Venezuelan opposition has apparently left the embassy.

The news agencies AP and Reuters as well as the "Wall Street Journal" report, citing anonymous sources.

Accordingly, Lopéz wants to leave the country.

López is the founder of the right-wing party Voluntad Popular (popular will) and was considered one of the most influential critics of President Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez, who died of cancer in 2013, until his imprisonment.

The socialist government described the economist and graduate of the US elite University Harvard as a representative of the extreme right and a coupist.

Lopéz had been in prison since 2014.

At that time, more than 40 people were killed in protests against the government.

A court sentenced López to almost 14 years in prison for inciting violence.

He was later released and under house arrest.

Numerous governments and human rights organizations saw a political prisoner in López.

From house arrest, Lopéz became a kind of mentor to opposition leader Juan Guaido.

When Guadio's revolt against Maduro failed, Lopéz first sought protection in the Chilean and then in the Spanish embassy.

Shortly before, a Venezuelan court had issued another arrest warrant against López.

The Spanish government refused to extradite López.

Icon: The mirror

slü / AP / Reuters