Oppn presidential candidate left nation for asylum in Spain: Venezuela

Former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has left the South American country after seeking asylum in Spain, according to a senior Venezuelan official.

The surprise departure by the candidate who Venezuela's opposition and several foreign governments consider the legitimate winner of July's presidential race is a serious blow to efforts to unseat President Nicols Maduro and comes just days after the government ordered his arrest.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said in a message posted on Instagram that Gonzalez, who has not been seen since the election, had sought refuge in past days at Spain's embassy in Caracas. She said the government decided to grant Gonzlez safe passage out of the country to help restore the country's political peace and tranquility.

Neither Gonzalez nor anyone from Venezuela's opposition has yet to comment.

Gonzalez, a 75 year old former diplomat, was a last minute stand in when opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was