Spain had not recognised the results of the July 28, 2024 elections, officially won by Maduro but contested by the opposition, whose candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia fled Venezuela for Madrid after the vote. Spain "has welcomed, and will continue to welcome, tens of thousands of Venezuelans forced to leave their country for political reasons, and stands ready to help in the search for a democratic, negotiated, and peaceful solution for the country," the ministry added.