On Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the opposition, not the socialist Nicolás Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chavez, won Venezuela’s presidential election. Maduro has asserted his victory and threatened the opposition since July 28, leading to widespread protests.
“With the substantial evidence available, it is unmistakable to the United States and, more importantly, to the Venezuelan populace that Edmundo González Urrutia secured the most votes in the presidential election held on July 28,” Blinken remarked.
It is widely believed that Maduro lost the election before proclaiming his victory, with many regional governments expressing skepticism about the results.
ANALYSTS FEAR MADURO MAY MANIPULATE SUNDAY’S ELECTION AS OPPOSITION GROWS IN POLLS
President Nicolas Maduro adjusts his glasses while casting his vote in the presidential election on July 28 in Caracas, Venezuela. Many governments believe Maduro’s victory was fraudulent. (AP)
Officials from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have been urging Maduro’s regime to reveal the vote counting sheets from the recent elections and permit independent verification, according to a Brazilian government representative speaking to The Associated Press. This action is deemed necessary to eliminate any doubts surrounding the election’s outcomes. Newly elected libertarian President of Argentina, Javier Milei, has called for ongoing protests against Maduro.
On Wednesday, Maduro requested Venezuela’s highest court to audit the election results, a move that was met with swift criticism from international observers who argued that the court is too aligned with the government to ensure an impartial review.
Polls conducted throughout the summer consistently showed that opposition candidate Edmundo González was leading by significant margins.
When the National Electoral Council, dominated by Maduro’s allies, declared around midnight that Maduro secured 51% of the votes against 44% for main rival González, National Electoral Council President Elvis Amoroso stated that the results were based on 80% of polling stations and represented an unchangeable trend.
MADURO REFUSES TO TAKE BACK UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM THE U.S. AS VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS COMMIT HEINOUS CRIMES
Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez waves while leaving the polling station with his wife Mercedes Lopez, center, and daughter Mariana after casting his vote in the presidential elections in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 28, 2024. (AP)
“Meanwhile, the democratic opposition has released over 80 percent of the tally sheets collected directly from polling stations throughout Venezuela,” Blinken noted. “These sheets demonstrate that Edmundo González Urrutia received the highest vote count by a substantial margin.”
“The CNE’s swift announcement declaring Nicolás Maduro as the election winner lacked corroborating evidence,” stated the State Department on Thursday. “Since the election, we have engaged extensively with global partners and allies, and while responses vary, none have affirmed that Nicolás Maduro received the most votes in this election.”
In the aftermath of the election, protests erupted as citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with the results, prompting a heavy-handed response from authorities on some occasions. Blinken urged officials to protect opposition figures like González and María Corina Machado, to release detained protesters, and to facilitate a peaceful transition of power.
Supporters of the opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado display their pictures during a rally in Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela on July 23, 2024. The presidential elections are set for July 28, 2024. (Raul Arboldea/AFP via Getty Images)
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“The time has come for Venezuelan parties to initiate discussions aimed at a respectful, peaceful transition, in line with the country’s electoral laws and the desires of the Venezuelan people,” Blinken asserted.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
