Macron says Edmundo González should help oversee Venezuela’s transition of power

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia should play a role in overseeing a transition of power in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US armed forces.

“The transition to come must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people. We hope that President Edmundo González Urrutia, elected in 2024, will be able to ensure this transition as quickly as possible,” Macron wrote on X.

In a subsequent post, Macron said he had also spoken with Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado.

“I fully support her call for the release and protection of the political prisoners of Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Like all Venezuelans, she can count on France’s support to amplify the voice of a peaceful, democratic transition that fully respects the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people,” Macron said.