Leopoldo López abandons Spanish Embassy in Caracas and leaves Venezuela. (Photo: EFE)

Caracas, October 24 (RHC)-- Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López left the residence of the Spanish ambassador in Caracas on Saturday, where he had been a "guest" for 18 months, and left Venezuela.

The news of Lopez's escape was initially known through various press reports.  Hours earlier, sources had confirmed to EFE news agency and Reuters that López had left the diplomatic mission and left the country, while relatives told AFP that he would be on his way to Spain, something that was also reported by Bloomberg.

López had remained at the diplomatic headquarters since he was released from house arrest by a group of uniformed officers in April 2019.  López had been arrested in 2014 and sentenced to 14 years in prison, accused of leading violent actions that killed civilians in the anti-government street clashes that took place that year.