CARACAS - In Venezuela, an arrest warrant has been issued for opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia. The court approved the request for this warrant due to allegations of "serious crimes" that González Urrutia is said to have committed. According to an online publication from the Venezuelan Public Ministry, González Urrutia faces charges of "disobedience," "conspiracy," and "sabotage." 

González Urrutia participated in the presidential elections on July 28, claiming victory according to his own tally. Despite this, the incumbent president, Nicolás Maduro, was declared the winner. 

González Urrutia had previously ignored three court summons. Prosecutors had earlier threatened arrest in an ongoing investigation into the election results, which left unclear whether he was to appear as a suspect, witness, or expert. 

Despite the official announcement by the Venezuelan Electoral Council that Maduro won the elections, the opposition continues to dispute the result. They present González Urrutia as the true winner and new president, a stance also supported by the European Union, the United States, and several Latin American countries. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. has seized a plane belonging to President Maduro in the Dominican Republic, which was subsequently flown to Florida. The U.S. Department of Justice claims the purchase of the plane violated American sanctions, alleging that the aircraft was acquired illegally through a shell company in the U.S. and then smuggled out. 

In response, a U.S. official told CNN that the seizure sends a clear message that no one, not even a foreign head of state, is above the law. The relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela has long been strained, with the U.S. frequently investigating alleged corruption in Venezuela and exerting pressure for full transparency regarding the election results.