Edmundo González Urrutia is the presidential candidate in Venezuela who will face the current president, Nicolás Maduro. His nomination came as a surprise after the disqualification of the opposition leader María Corina Machado and the exclusion of other potential candidates.
In April, the 74-year-old career diplomat admitted to AFP, “I never, never, never imagined I would be in this position. This is my contribution to the democratic cause… I do this selflessly, as a contribution to unity.”
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Initially, Urrutia was seen merely as a temporary or “placeholder” candidate for the opposition coalition known as Plataforma Unitaria, which had previously selected Machado in primary elections. He recalled receiving a phone call one Saturday afternoon, informing him that he needed to sign a letter for Venezuela’s National Electoral Council. He thought he was merely signing a document, but instead, he found out he was being named as a placeholder to maintain the coalition’s electoral card. He smiled as he reflected, “What they didn’t know was that this ‘placeholder’ would become a real candidate, and here we are today under these conditions.” Ramón Guillermo Aveledo, a former secretary of the opposition coalition, described him as “a decent Venezuelan, a democrat, and a servant to the Republic.”
Urrutia’s roots trace back to La Victoria, a small city about 110 kilometers from Caracas, where one of the most heroic battles of Venezuela’s independence occurred in 1812. He lived and studied in La Victoria before moving to the capital to pursue higher education. He graduated in International Studies from the prestigious Central University of Venezuela (UCV) before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In his home office, he has a poster with a Latin phrase that reads, “Verba volant, scripta manent,” which means “Words fly away, writings remain.”
He explained that he once worked with an ambassador who advised him to achieve something lasting in life, pointing out that words quickly fade but written work lasts. Urrutia’s speeches tend to be delivered in a monotone fashion, and he often prefers to let the spotlight shine on Machado, whose charisma and energy drive their campaign. Polls suggest he holds a significant lead in popularity.
As an author and compiler, Urrutia has penned several books on Venezuela and its international relations. His reading list includes notable works such as “The Anatomy of Power” by John Kenneth Galbraith, “The Clash of Civilizations” by Samuel Huntington, and “China” by Henry Kissinger.
His diplomatic career has taken him to Belgium and the United States, serving as an ambassador to Algeria from 1994 to 1999, and to Argentina from 1999 to 2002. Despite spending many years outside Venezuela, he asserts that he has a deep understanding of the country.
On the opposing side, critics from the ruling party question his age, mobility challenges, and trembling hands, contrasting him with the 61-year-old Maduro, who is known for his dynamic campaigning style, including jumping and dancing at events.
Source: https://www.perfil.com/noticias/internacional/venezuela-quien-es-edmundo-urrutia-candidato-busca-desplazar-nicolas-maduro.phtml
