Venezuela's Oppn ex-candidate says forced to sign letter that admits defeat

Venezuela's former opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, on Wednesday said he was coerced into signing a letter effectively recognising his defeat in July's presidential election, which electoral authorities claim was won by President Nicolas Maduro.

The revelation of the letter is the latest strain to the country's political crisis, which was exacerbated by the disputed election results and Gonzalez's recent departure for exile in Spain. Gonzalez and the Unitary Platform coalition he represented on July 28 claim they defeated Maduro by a wide margin.

The document states it was meant to be confidential, but Jorge Rodriguez, head of the National Assembly and Maduro's chief negotiator, presented it during a nationally televised press conference hours after a local news outlet published parts of it. The letter shows Gonzalez as the sender and is addressed to Rodriguez, who signed it as recipient.

Rodriguez told reporters Gonzalez signed the letter of his own volition. Gonzalez, ...