Venezuela’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has sparked international condemnation. Canada, the USA, and Brazil have all criticised Nicolás Maduro for his crackdown on opposition members following a contested presidential election in July. He was declared the winner with 52% of the vote but failed to release vote tallies. The opposition have presented records to back up their claims that Gonzalez won. When he refused to testify in an investigation, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Brazil, once supportive of Venezuela, expressed concerns and warned that his detention would be seen as politically motivated. The USA, long critical of Maduro, accused him of extreme measures to retain power. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has accused armed groups of killing 23 protesters after Maduro’s victory: see.