Leopoldo López
Founder of the Voluntad Popular opposition party
At a glance
Leopoldo López is the founder of the Voluntad Popular opposition party and one of the longest-prominent figures of the Venezuelan democratic opposition — currently in exile in Spain.
Who is Leopoldo López?
Leopoldo Eduardo López Mendoza is a Venezuelan economist and politician who founded the Voluntad Popular party in 2009. He served as mayor of Chacao municipality (Caracas) before being arrested in 2014 on charges of incitement, and was held by Venezuelan authorities until 2019 when he left the country to seek refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas. He has been in exile in Spain since 2020.
López is the political mentor of former interim president Juan Guaidó and remains an active organiser of the Venezuelan opposition from abroad. His detention and subsequent exile is one of the most-cited cases in U.S. and EU human-rights designations against the Maduro government.
Also known as: Leopoldo Eduardo López Mendoza.
Career timeline
- 2008–2014 — Mayor of Chacao municipality, Caracas
- 2009 — Co-founded Voluntad Popular
- 2014–2019 — Held in detention by Venezuelan authorities
- 2019 — Left house arrest and took refuge in the Spanish embassy in Caracas
- 2020 — Went into exile in Spain
Network & connections
The following figures are part of Leopoldo López's direct political, cabinet, or institutional network — useful for compliance teams mapping the wider Venezuelan power structure:
Frequently asked questions
▸ Who is Leopoldo López?
Sources & further reading
Useful tools and explainers
- Browse all active OFAC Venezuela SDN designations — the live US Treasury tracker for individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft.
- OFAC Venezuela sanctions checker — paste any name to check it against the active SDN list.
- How to invest in Venezuela (2026 sanctions-safe guide)
- Browse all Venezuelan power figures
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