Venezuelan opposition leader who claims to have defeated Maduro meets Biden at White House

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Venezuelan opposition leader who claims to have defeated President Nicolás Maduro in last year’s presidential election met Monday with U.S. President Joe Biden just days ahead of Maduro's contested inauguration to a third term.

Biden's White House meeting with Edmundo González, who represented Venezuela’s main opposition coalition in the July presidential election, took place as the retired diplomat tries to rally support for his effort to get Maduro out of office by Friday, when by law, the South American country's next presidential term begins.

Biden and González agreed that González's “campaign victory should be honored through a peaceful transfer back to democratic rule,” according to a White House readout of the meeting. Both men also expressed serious concerns regarding "Maduro and his representatives’ unacceptable and indiscriminate use of repression against peaceful protesters, democracy activists, and civil society.”

González began a tour of the Americas on Saturday with stops in Argentina and Uruguay. His campaign called on Venezuelans living in the Washington area to gather with him Monday outside the offices of the Organization of American States.

Carolina di Martino Popovich waved and cheered in freezing temperatures outside the OAS, accompanied by her daughters Isabella, 1, and Camila, 6, and her mother Petra Gambor. Di Martino Popovich and Gambor are longtime immigrants from Venezuela.

“We drove 10 hours in the snowstorm from Boston, and we made it,” di Martino Popovich said. “That is how much he means to us. We couldn’t vote in Venezuela, but we are here to recognize him as our president.”

Meanwhile, Maduro already has received an invitation from the National Assembly to be sworn in for a third six-year term Friday, more than five months after the National Electoral Council, stacked with ruling-party loyalists, declared him winner of the July 28 election.

More than 2,000 people, including minors, were arrested during nationwide post-election demonstrations. Opposition leaders, lawyers, activists and journalists were among those detained.

Unlike previous presidential elections, electoral authorities did not provide detailed vote counts. However, the opposition collected tally sheets from more than 80% of the nation’s electronic voting machines, posted them online and said they showed González had won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro.

The U.S.-based Carter Center, which Maduro’s government invited to observe the presidential election, has said the tally sheets published by the opposition are legitimate.

The U.S. and most European governments have rejected the election’s official results and consider González the legitimate winner.

“We had a long, fruitful and cordial conversation with President Biden and his team,” González told reporters. “We, of course, thanked the United States government for the support it has given us in this fight for democratic recovery in Venezuela. That is a commitment that we take with us and that we will continue to follow until the last day of the president’s government.”

When asked on Monday about González's plans, Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello insulted the politician, attacked his credibility and threatened him with arrest. He also insisted that Maduro would be sworn in Friday.

“Coward,” Cabello said, referring to the retired diplomat, whom he accused, without offering any proof, of being a CIA agent. “He has neither courage nor disposition... Mr. González Urrutia knows that as soon as he steps in Venezuela, he will be arrested.”

González, who represented the Unitary Platform coalition, left Venezuela for exile in Spain in September after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an investigation into the publishing of the election's tally sheets. Last week, the government announced a $100,000 reward for information on González's whereabouts.

González on Monday also met with Rep. Mike Waltz, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's designate to be his national security adviser once he's sworn in on Jan. 20.

In recent weeks, González has vowed to travel to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term, but he has not explained how he plans to return or wrest power from Maduro, whose party controls all institutions and the military.

On Sunday, González addressed Venezuela's armed forces in a social media video, reminding them that according to the constitution, he “must assume the role of commander in chief” on Friday and that they are "called to be a guarantee of sovereignty and respect for the popular will.”

But Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino on Monday said the armed forces will recognize Maduro as president on Inauguration Day.

“We categorically and with absolute vehemence reject this clownish and buffoonish act of despicable politicking, which will not have the slightest impact on the robust patriotic conscience of the (Venezuelan armed forces),” Padrino said in an address to the nation on state television.

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Miller reported from Washington. Associated Press photographer Jacquelyn Martin in Washington contributed to this report.

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez gather outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, left, arrives to speak with reporters at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A man wearing a hat for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration records supporters of Edmundo Gonzalez, who represented Venezuela's main opposition coalition in the July presidential election, as they sing outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez react as he speaks to the group outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Carolina di Martino Popovich, center, holds her daughter Isabella, 1, next to her mother Petra Gambor, and other daughter Camila, 6, as they sing along with Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. "We drove 10 hours in the snowstorm from Boston and we made it," said di Martino Popovich, "that is how much he means to us. We couldn't vote in Venezuela but we are here to recognize him as our President." The mother and daughter are long time immigrants from Venezuela who live in Boston. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Edmundo Gonzalez, who represented Venezuela's main opposition coalition in the July presidential election, addresses a gathering of supporters outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez hold signs calling him "President," outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Edmundo Gonzalez, who represented Venezuela's main opposition coalition in the July presidential election, waves as he arrives to address a gathering of supporters outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Petra Gambor, center, with her daughter Carolina di Martino Popovich, at right, reacts to a greeting by Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, outside of the Organization of American States, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. "We drove 10 hours in the snowstorm from Boston and we made it," said di Martino Popovich, "that is how much he means to us. We couldn't vote in Venezuela but we are here to recognize him as our president." The mother and daughter are long-time immigrants from Venezuela who live in Boston. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, center, speaks with reporters at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, center, speaks with reporters at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, second from left, speaks with reporters at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, center, speaks with reporters at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, center, speaks with reporters at the White House, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Venezuela's opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia holds an Uruguayan and a Venezuelan flag outside the government residence in Montevideo, Uruguay, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Gonzalez, who claims he won the 2024 presidential election and is recognized by some countries as the legitimate president-elect, traveled from exile in Madrid to Argentina and Uruguay. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Winds began gaining strength across Southern California on Tuesday, as forecasters warned of powerful, dry gusts that could bring down trees, damage homes and bring extreme fire risk to areas that haven't seen substantial rain in months.

The National Weather Service said what could be the strongest windstorm in more than a decade would begin in the afternoon across Los Angeles and Ventura counties and peak in the early hours of Wednesday, when gusts could reach 80 mph (129 kph). Isolated gusts could top 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills.

The weather service warned of possible downed power lines and knocked-over big rigs, trailers, and motorhomes. Strong offshore gusts will also bring dangerous conditions off the coasts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, including Catalina Island, and potential delays and turbulence could arise at local airports.

Southern California Edison said it was considering preemptively cutting power starting Tuesday to more than 415,000 utility customers across seven counties. In recent years, California utilities have routinely de-energized electrical lines as a precaution against weather conditions that might damage equipment and spark a fire.

The upcoming winds will act as an “atmospheric blow-dryer” for vegetation, bringing a long period of fire risk that could extend into the more populated lower hills and valleys, according to Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

“We really haven't seen a season as dry as this one follow a season as wet as the previous one,” Swain said during a Monday livestream. “All of that extra abundant growth of grass and vegetation followed immediately by a wind event of this magnitude while it's still so incredibly dry," elevates the risk.

Recent dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, where there’s been very little rain so far this season.

Southern California hasn’t seen more than 0.1 inches (0.25 centimeters) of rain since early May. Much of the region has fallen into moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Meanwhile, up north, there have been multiple drenching storms.

Areas where gusts could create extreme fire conditions include the charred footprint of last month’s wind-driven Franklin Fire, which damaged or destroyed 48 structures, mostly homes, in and around Malibu.

The blaze was one of nearly 8,000 wildfires that added up to scorch more than 1,560 square miles (more than 4,040 square kilometers) in the Golden State last year.

The last wind event of this magnitude occurred in November 2011, during which more than 400,000 customers lost power across LA County, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“The grid is built to withstand strong winds,” said Jeff Monford, a spokesperson for the utility. “The issue here is the possibility of debris becoming airborne and hitting wires ... or a tree coming down.”

FILE - Marvin Meador walks on the remains of his fire-ravaged property after the Mountain Fire swept through, Nov. 7, 2024, in Camarillo, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)