Edmundo González, Venezuela's newest President, or a fugitive on the run, according to Nicolas Maduro and his allies.

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González is a criminal. A new arrest warrant issued by the public Ministry of Venezuela, accuses González of forging public documents, inciting disobedience, sabotaging computer systems, and attempting to usurp government functions. All of the The charges appearing to stem from the country's July presidential election, an election that independent, UN-backed, election observers describe as lacking, quote, basic transparency and integrity.

Este señor, Cobarde González Urrutia, Maduro, referring to González on his weekly television show, saying in part, quote, This man has the nerve to say he doesn't recognize laws.

He doesn't recognize anything. González has not directly responded to the new arrest warrant, but the United States is calling it a power grab.

This is just another example of Mr. Maduro's efforts to maintain power by force and to refuse to recognize that Mr. González won the most votes on the 28th of July.

González González challenged Maduro's decade-long reign. And according to an Associated Press analysis of voter tallies released by his opposition allies, González won by more than a two to one margin. Maduro disputing that, claiming he won by more than a million votes. González hasn't been seen in public since the day after the election.

For the moment, González has said through his lawyer that he's planning to fight it out in Venezuela, and I guess is ready to go to jail if that's what it takes.

Protesters supporting González have repeatedly flooded the streets of Venezuela's capital city, demanding Maduro step aside. Journalist Manuel Rueda has been in Venezuela reporting on the elections.

González has a much stronger claim that he has the support of the people. It's very hard now for Maduro to say that he's being elected by the Venezuelan people. What can swing in González's favor would be some descent within Maduro's rank, and especially within the military.

The US now trying to increase the pressure from abroad, seizing a plane with ties to Maduro. According to attorney general Merritt Garland, the plane was purchased in the United States for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States so it could be used by Maduro and his associates in violation of US sanctions. The US hoping it sends Maduro a message.

We have the expertise, we have the reach, and we have the global partnerships in order to effect change against anybody, including powerful government heads who think they're untouchable.

But as of today, Maduro remains in the presidential palace and his support among Venezuela's military leadership, seems rock solid.

Ellison Barber joins us now in studio. So Ellison, without the military flipping and helping Gonzales, There's nothing really he can do. Can the US do anything? Does he just stay in hiding? What's next for him?

So Kirby alluded in his remarks today to the possibility that the United States is going to take additional steps with what they described as their partners. He didn't get into detail, but it seems like possibly next step would be increasing the enforcement on sanctions that are already in place. That's what we saw happen with the plane, or even adding additional sanctions to try and put pressure that way. But again, speaking with experts, they seem to say really the only way they think this changes is if there's some crack within Maduro's ranks and primarily within the military.

Ellison Barber for us. Ellison, we thank you for that.

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