Edmundo González, the opposition presidential candidate in Venezuela, has fled the country and sought asylum in Spain after the government issued a warrant for his arrest. The warrant came after the disputed results of the July presidential election, which declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner with 52% of the vote, a result the opposition contests.

González had been in hiding since July, fearing arrest after top government officials called for him to be jailed on charges of conspiracy and document forgery. Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that González had left the country with the permission of the government, seeking refuge at the Spanish embassy before flying to Spain on a Spanish Air Force plane.

The Venezuelan opposition, supported by several countries including the U.S. and the EU, claims González won the election by a wide margin. Despite their demands, the government-controlled National Electoral Council has refused to release detailed voting data. Meanwhile, tensions remain high in Caracas, where security forces have surrounded the Argentine embassy, sheltering six other opposition figures accused of plotting terrorist acts.