Former Spain prime minister plans trip to Venezuela to help opposition leader
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2007 file photo, Spain's former Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez gestures during a speech in Madrid, Spain. Gonzalez said Saturday, May 16, 2015 he plans to travel to Venezuela to help defend two jailed opposition leaders, despite the disapproval of the government of President Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza, File)
A former Spanish prime minister hopes to travel to Venezuela this weekend to help lawyers defending imprisoned opposition leader Leopoldo López.
Felipe González will travel to Colombia on Thursday and will decide after arriving in Bogota whether to visit Venezuela, according to González's spokesman, Joaquín Tagar.
Gonzalez was widely criticized by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after announcing he would advise López and his supporters.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tagar said Wednesday that González needs to assess Venezuelan reaction to his planned trip before deciding whether to fly to Caracas.
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry has said that González isn't "welcome" in the South American country.
The former prime minister is a lawyer and led Spain from 1982 to 1996.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}López has been jailed for 15 months in connection with his leadership of Venezuela's spring 2014 protests.