Friday, August 2, 2024, Caracas.
Venezuela, the oil-rich Latin American nation, fell into crisis after Maduro was declared the winner of Sunday’s election. This result defied pre-election polls and drew global criticism.
Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina said on social media that they must stay strong and organized after their historic victory on July 28. She also wrote in the Wall Street Journal that she was in hiding and feared for her life after Maduro’s contested victory, which led to deadly protests and hundreds of arrests.
Machado claimed opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia was the real winner, saying he got 67 percent of the vote compared to Maduro’s 30 percent. However, the National Electoral Council said Maduro won with 51 percent. Maduro claimed he had evidence of his victory.
Maduro accused Gonzalez Urrutia and Machado of having “blood on their hands” and said they should be jailed. Machado, who was barred from running, said many opposition figures were now in hiding. She called for support for democracy in Venezuela. Gonzalez Urrutia told his supporters he would never abandon them and would defend their will. At least 20 people died in the post-election protests, and more than 1,000 were jailed.
Venezuela’s supreme court has summoned all presidential candidates to a hearing to investigate and certify the election result. Life in Caracas is slowly returning to normal, but Venezuela withdrew diplomats from eight Latin American countries and asked those countries’ envoys to leave. Argentina’s President Javier Milei said his country’s diplomatic staff left Venezuela and thanked Brazil for taking custody of its embassy. Six Venezuelan opposition figures are under protection at the Argentine embassy. Brazil’s foreign ministry said it would also represent Peru in Venezuela after Peru recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate president.
The US and EU demanded Venezuela release detailed voting data, with US diplomat Antony Blinken saying there was evidence Gonzalez Urrutia won. Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico called for an impartial verification of the result and the publication of detailed voting data. Sunday’s elections were held under Maduro’s warnings of a “bloodbath” if he lost. Protests erupted after the election, leading to arrests, one military officer killed, and 77 officials injured.
Maduro has led the country since 2013, during which time the GDP dropped 80 percent, and over seven million citizens emigrated. He is accused of locking up critics and harassing opponents. His 2018 reelection was rejected by many countries. Despite US sanctions, Maduro has retained the loyalty of the military and state institutions and support from Russia, China, and Cuba.