The Government will foreseeably approve this Tuesday, in the Council of Ministers, the granting of Spanish nationality to Leopoldo López through a royal decree and by the exceptional procedure of the letter of naturalization, a discretionary formula reserved for cases of special interest.
The measure, confirmed by government sources, seeks to respond to the personal situation of the Venezuelan opposition leader, who resides in Madrid since 2020 and whose administrative situation has worsened in recent months.
An exceptional way for singular cases
The granting by letter of naturalization allows to grant Spanish nationality without needing to meet the ordinary requirements —such as years of legal residence, passing exams, or complete documentary accreditation— and is approved case by case by decision of the Council of Ministers.
It is a rare mechanism that the Government uses in situations considered exceptional, both for humanitarian reasons and for reasons of public or political interest.
In the case of López, the Executive justifies the decision on his personal circumstances and on his international relevance as a figure of the Venezuelan opposition.
A legal limbo after the decisions of Caracas
The opposition leader is in a situation of special legal vulnerability after the Venezuelan regime has promoted measures that affect his documentation and recognition as a Venezuelan citizen.
This context has left López in a scenario close to de facto statelessness, by lacking a valid passport and seeing his ability to prove his nationality of origin compromised.
The granting of Spanish nationality would allow to resolve this legal void and and guarantee their full legal certainty in Spain.
Residency in Spain since 2020
Leopoldo López arrived in Spain in October 2020 after leaving Venezuela and has since established his residence in Madrid, where he has continued his political activity in the international sphere.
His case has maintained a constant diplomatic dimension in the relations between Spain and Venezuela, especially within the framework of European policy towards the Caracas regime.
Expected approval without obstacles
Although the concession must be formalized by vote in the Council of Ministers, this type of decisions are usually approved without internal opposition when they originate from the Executive itself.
If confirmed this Tuesday, López will acquire full Spanish nationality by right, culminating an express process that the Government frames within the political and humanitarian exceptionality of his/her situation.
A decision with political and foreign reading
Beyond the administrative level, the measure has a clear political and diplomatic dimension. It reinforces Spain's positioning in relation to the Venezuelan opposition and sends a message about the protection of figures considered persecuted by the Caracas regime.
At the same time, it opens a new chapter in the bilateral relationship with Venezuela, in a context marked by political tension and international scrutiny over the situation of rights and freedoms in the Latin American country.