Venezuelan authorities have confirmed Nicolas Maduro’s election victory despite a mounting international consensus recognizing his opposition rival, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, as the legitimate winner. The aftermath of Sunday’s contentious presidential vote has plunged the oil-rich nation into turmoil, with both Maduro and the opposition rallying their supporters for demonstrations.
On Friday, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Uruguay joined the United States and Peru in acknowledging Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect. This collective stance against the official results has intensified the political crisis in Venezuela. The election authority ratified Maduro’s win with 52% of the vote, while Gonzalez Urrutia reportedly secured 43%.
Maduro, 61, has responded aggressively to the growing dissent, threatening opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and Gonzalez Urrutia with imprisonment. In a bold move, Gonzalez Urrutia refused to attend a Supreme Court hearing requested by Maduro to certify the election results, further escalating tensions. Other opposition candidates have demanded a transparent and detailed vote count, asserting that voting records are crucial for maintaining peace and ensuring transparency.
Enrique Marquez, one of the opposition candidates, emphasized the importance of transparency in the electoral process. Meanwhile, Machado, who had been barred from running, expressed her fears for her life in a Wall Street Journal article, calling on supporters to rally on Saturday to “assert the truth” of the opposition’s victory. She claimed to possess evidence supporting their win and highlighted international recognition of Gonzalez Urrutia’s victory on social media platform X.
Maduro, on the other hand, has called for continuous mobilization of his supporters, planning “the mother of all marches” to celebrate what he claims as a victory for peace. He has accused the opposition of plotting a coup with support from the United States, the international far right, and unbridled capitalism, and ordered increased police presence in Caracas to counter potential threats.
The NGO Foro Penal reported 11 fatalities during protests on Monday and Tuesday, with Venezuelans taking to the streets in anger over perceived electoral fraud. Machado reported that at least 20 people had been killed, and the violent crackdown has instilled fear among opposition supporters. Katiusca Camargo, an activist from the Petare slum, described the atmosphere of fear, stating, “We have dead, wounded, detainees, missing people… People know it. They are afraid.”
In an effort to prove their claims, the opposition launched a website displaying copies of 84% of the ballots, which they say show a clear victory for Gonzalez Urrutia. However, the government has dismissed these documents as forgeries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken supported the opposition’s claims, stating there was “overwhelming evidence” that Gonzalez Urrutia had won.
The international community’s response has been significant. Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino declared Gonzalez Urrutia the “legitimate winner and president-elect,” while Peru, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Costa Rica issued similar recognitions. A joint statement from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico called for an “impartial verification” of the results and urged Caracas to publish voting data by polling stations.
Maduro’s previous re-election in 2018 faced widespread rejection from Latin American countries, the United States, and the EU. Despite years of damaging U.S. sanctions, Maduro has maintained power, backed by military leadership, electoral bodies, courts, and state institutions, along with support from Russia, China, and Cuba. The current political impasse highlights the deep divisions within Venezuela and the international community’s critical role in shaping its future.
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