Venezuela’s government has doubled down on its intention to arrest the opposition leader who claims to have defeated President Nicolás Maduro in last year’s election.

González, who has been in exile in Spain since September, has vowed to return to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term, which by law begins on January 10

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia called Sunday for the military to recognize him as commander-in-chief, as he continued an international tour seeking to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power.

González, who the United States recognized as the winner of last year's presidential election in Venezuela, kicked off an international tour on Saturday that will take him to Washington.

The Venezuelan opposition leader who the United States recognized as the winner of last year’s presidential election has kicked off an international tour that will also take him to the United States