In a news conference on Wednesday, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, held up printed photographs of what he said was the moment the document was signed in his presence as well as that of his sister, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, and Spain's ambassador to Venezuela, Ramon Santos.

Venezuela's former presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez said on Friday he sought diplomatic refuge after being told President Nicolas Maduro's security forces were coming for him. Gonzalez, whom the opposition insist was the real winner of a July election awarded to Maduro,