Spain's Council of Ministers will approve fast-track Spanish nationality for Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López on Tuesday, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has confirmed. The move addresses the lack of documentation denied by the Venezuelan government for years. The decision sparks debate in Venezuela over its implications for López's presidential aspirations.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed in an interview on RAC1's 'El món' that the proposal to grant carta de naturaleza to Leopoldo López, leader of Voluntad Popular, will be submitted to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. "We will wait for the Council of Ministers' deliberation for the final decision," Albares said, justifying the express route due to the opposition leader's "very special situation," lacking a Venezuelan passport after proceedings started in October 2025 on Nicolás Maduro's order.
Maduro then instructed the Supreme Tribunal to strip López's nationality for an alleged "call to military invasion," supported by Delcy Rodríguez. Residing in Madrid since 2020 after 1.5 years as a refugee in the Spanish embassy, López replied: "No Venezuelan born in Venezuela can have their nationality withdrawn." Albares noted that 200,000 Venezuelans have arrived in Spain under a "unique statute" for protection, and Edmundo González is "free in Madrid today and not imprisoned in Caracas thanks to this Government."
The step raises questions about López's presidential bid, as Venezuela's Constitution requires candidates to be born in the country without dual nationality. Consultant Luis Peche sees it as temporary support amid López's statelessness, while electoral expert Jesús Castellanos views it as a "political defeat." López calls for a new "clean and transparent" electoral process in Venezuela and remains optimistic.
Recently, López's house in Caracas was emptied and demolished, with his pets killed, amid an amnesty and opposition activity including releases like those of Freddy Superlano and Roland Carreño.
