Edmundo Gonzalez, Venezuela's low-profile and last-minute opposition candidate

21/4/2024 6:16

        As time was running out, Venezuela's opposition chose low-profile former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez to run against President Nicolas Maduro in a July
        election that political analysts said will require Gonzalez to build name recognition among voters.
        
        The stakes are high for the July 28 vote as the U.S. has made holding fair elections a condition of lifting sanctions on the South American nation.
        
        Initially named as a placeholder while the opposition struggled to confirm candidates, Gonzalez' candidacy was finalized on Friday, a day before a Saturday deadline to replace him with someone else.
        
        As Venezuela holds a presidential election for the first time since 2018, political analysts said 74-year-old Gonzalez, who was ambassador to Argentina at the turn of the century, will have an arduous path.