Maduro declared winner in controversial Venezuelan election amid fraud allegations and protests

Venezuelans have taken to the streets in large numbers after the National Electoral Council (CNE) officially declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the presidential election.

The opposition claims the election was marred by fraud, igniting widespread protests across the country.

Protesters have toppled a statue of Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, in the state of Falcon, reflecting the public’s anger.

In Petare, one of the poorest areas of Caracas, demonstrators shouted slogans against the president, tore down his campaign posters, and engaged in clashes with police.

🇻🇪 | URGENTE

Miles de indignados venezolanos han salido a las calles, para protestar contra el FRAUDE ELECTORAL del régimen de Nicolás Maduro, en Caracas.

Cobertura completa y de equipo. ¡Síguenos y comparte! pic.twitter.com/VvFvoKSeB8

— UHN Plus (@UHN_Plus) July 29, 2024

President Maduro, in a televised address from Caracas, accused the opposition of attempting a coup d’etat but provided no evidence to support his claim.

“We already know this movie, and this time, there will be no kind of weakness,” he stated, asserting that Venezuela’s law will be respected.

The opposition, led by presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, has called for calm and urged the government to avoid stoking conflict.

Gonzalez and his allies have requested supporters to remain peaceful while calling for transparency from the government.

Election observers and international leaders have voiced their concerns and urged Venezuela to release a full breakdown of the election results.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “complete transparency” and the publication of results by polling stations. The Carter Center also demanded the immediate release of detailed voting results.

The CNE announced just after midnight that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of the vote, without providing detailed tallies.

They blamed a cyber attack launched from North Macedonia for the delayed count. However, independent exit polls and the opposition’s partial tally based on public voting records pointed to a decisive win for rival candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who drew large crowds around the country campaigning for Gonzalez, said he won 70% of the vote.

An exit poll by Edison Research, which conducts election polling in the United States, showed Gonzalez had won 65% of the vote, while Maduro won 31%, based on nationwide interviews with 6,846 voters at 100 polling locations.

“The official results are silly,” Edison’s Executive Vice President Rob Farbman told Reuters in an email.

Despite the unrest, the CNE confirmed Maduro’s re-election with 51 percent of the votes compared to Gonzalez’s 44 percent.

However, the opposition claims their collected counts show Gonzalez leading. The lack of transparency has fueled political tensions and public distrust.

As protests continue, police and National Guard forces have been deployed to disperse demonstrators using tear gas. Protesters, undeterred, shouted,

“It’s going to fall. It’s going to fall. This government is going fall!” in their determination to challenge the election results.

International reaction has been swift. Nine Latin American countries have called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) to discuss their concerns over the election results.

Panama announced it would halt diplomatic relations with Venezuela until a full review is conducted. Left-wing governments in the region, such as Brazil and Chile, have called for an impartial verification of the results.

The United States, through Secretary of State Antony Blinken, expressed “serious concerns” about the announced results, urging for transparency and a fair count of every vote.

As Venezuela navigates this political crisis, the international community remains watchful, demanding transparency and fairness in the electoral process.