The political opposition in Venezuela has called for more mass demonstrations over President Nicolas Maduro’s disputed election victory.
Opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado urged Venezuelans in a social media post to take to the streets on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in protest of Maduro’s re-election, which has thrust the South American nation into a political crisis and drawn international criticism.
“We must remain firm, organised and mobilised with the pride of having achieved a historic victory on July 28, and the awareness that to claim victory we will also go all the way.”
Maria Corina Machado
Earlier this week, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) formally declared Maduro the winner of the presidential vote.
The council said that Maduro had secured 51 percent support to win another six-year term, compared with 44 percent for his main challenger Edmundo Gonzalez.
However, the country’s opposition says its tally of about 90 percent of the votes showed Gonzalez received more than double the support of the incumbent president.
Maduro’s announced election victory pushed thousands of Venezuelans to demonstrate in the capital, Caracas, and other parts of the country this week, where they were met by tear gas and rubber bullets fired by police.
Maduro accused his political opponents of stoking unrest, blaming Gonzalez “for everything that is happening in Venezuela”, including “criminal violence … the wounded, the dead, the destruction”.
Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday it had received reports of 20 deaths in post-election demonstrations. More than 1,000 protesters have been arrested, according to the authorities, amid fears of a wider crackdown.
The opposition has released detailed tallies on a public website, but the government has so far not shared any information beyond a national total of votes for each candidate despite a recent pledge by Maduro to release “100 percent of the records”.
On Thursday, August 1, 2024, the United States recognised Gonzalez as the winner of the election on Thursday, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying there was “overwhelming evidence” that the opposition leader had defeated Maduro.
Blinken urged “Venezuelan parties to begin discussions on a respectful, peaceful transition in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the wishes of the Venezuelan people”.
In a post on X, Gonzalez thanked the US “for recognizing the will of the Venezuelan people reflected in our electoral victory and for supporting the process of restoring democratic norms in Venezuela.”
On Friday, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil said in a statement that Venezuela rejects “the grave and ridiculous declarations that mean to take over the role of the country’s electoral authorities.”
The statement added, “It shows that the US is at the head of the coup attempt against Venezuela.”
Yvan Gil went on to denounce the generation of a “false narrative” that means to sow violence in the Caribbean nation.
“Venezuelan authorities have acted to preserve national sovereignty,” the statement noted, concluding that “the Venezuelan people will face any challenge coming from imperialism.”
Venezuelan Supreme Court Summons All Presidential Candidates
Meanwhile, The Venezuelan Supreme Court summoned all the presidential candidates to a hearing on Friday, August 3, 2024, afternoon.
It follows Maduro’s request that it initiate a process to investigate and certify the election results.
In response to election-related criticism, Venezuela has expelled diplomats from Argentina and five other countries – Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.
Caracas and Lima expelled each other’s diplomats after Peru recognised Gonzalez as Venezuela’s elected president.
Meanwhile, the opposition movement headed by Machado, Vente Venezuela, said “six men hooded and without identification overpowered security guards” and entered its headquarters overnight on Friday.
“They threatened them and proceeded to make graffiti, break doors and take equipment,” Vente Venezuela said on X, where it released videos showing walls covered in black paint.
“We denounce the attacks and lack of security to which we are subjected for political reasons,” the movement added.
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