Venezuela’s Opposition Claims Election Victory Amid Protests

Venezuela’s Disputed Election: Opposition Claims Victory

On Monday, Edmundo González, the opposition candidate in Venezuela’s contentious election, declared that his campaign possesses the evidence necessary to prove he emerged victorious, despite the electoral authorities declaring President Nicolás Maduro the winner. This announcement came in the wake of widespread protests across the nation following Maduro’s declaration as the victor.

In the capital city of Caracas, the protests began mostly peacefully; however, tensions escalated when a group of riot police obstructed a caravan of demonstrators. This led to a confrontation where police resorted to deploying tear gas to disperse the crowd, which had started throwing stones and other projectiles in response. A gunshot was fired during the unrest as protesters moved through the city’s financial district, but fortunately, no injuries from gunfire were reported.

The demonstrations followed an election that, despite its controversies, was noted for being among the most tranquil in recent history, raising hopes that Venezuela could navigate away from violence and potentially end 25 years of single-party dominance. The individual who was ultimately declared the winner would assume control of an economy that is beginning to recover from a prolonged collapse, addressing the urgent needs of a populace yearning for change.

Both González and prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado urged citizens to remain calm while inviting them to gather peacefully on Tuesday to celebrate what they claim are the true election results. They informed reporters that they had obtained tally sheets indicating that González received over double the votes compared to Maduro, with estimates showing González at roughly 6.2 million votes and Maduro at around 2.7 million.

“I speak to you with the calmness of the truth,” González asserted, as a crowd of supporters cheered outside the campaign headquarters in Caracas. “We have in our possession the tally sheets that clearly demonstrate our categorical and mathematically irreversible victory.”

This declaration came soon after the National Electoral Council, which is aligned with Maduro’s ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, officially proclaimed Maduro the winner, granting him his third consecutive six-year term in office. During a nationally televised ceremony, Maduro responded, stating, “We have never been driven by hatred. Instead, we have always been victims of the powerful. An attempt is being made to impose a coup d’état in Venezuela again, one that is fascist and counterrevolutionary in nature.”

He added, “We are familiar with this narrative, and this time, we will show no signs of weakness,” emphasizing that the laws of Venezuela would be upheld.

Electoral authorities had yet to release the tally sheets for each of the 30,000 voting machines as of Monday evening. The electoral body’s website was not operational, leaving the timeline for the release of the tallies uncertain. This lack of transparency prompted independent electoral observers and the European Union to publicly call for the immediate disclosure of the results.

In the impoverished Petare neighborhood of Caracas, demonstrators began to rally, voicing their frustrations against Maduro. Some masked youths tore down campaign posters of the president that were displayed on lampposts. Heavily armed security forces were positioned only a few blocks away from the protests.

“He has to go. One way or another,” expressed María Arráez, a 27-year-old hairdresser, as she participated in the demonstration. As the crowd moved through various neighborhoods, they were met with cheers from retirees and office workers who joined in by banging pots and recording the protest as a gesture of solidarity. Chants of “freedom” echoed through the streets, intermixed with expletives aimed at Maduro.

Notably, several foreign governments, including the United States and the European Union, have refrained from recognizing the election results, heightening the political tension in the country. After a series of failed attempts to unseat Maduro through protests since 2014, the opposition has placed their hopes on the electoral process.