As Matt reported earlier, Venezuela could be on the brink of civil war over the highly disputed election results, which saw authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro win another six-year term through what critics in Venezuela and abroad say is electoral fraud. Protests have broken out in several cities in the country and may escalate further. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. has “serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.” He further called on the country’s electoral authorities to publish the tabulation of votes.
“The international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly,” Blinken said.
On Monday, the opposition said it has the proof needed to show Maduro was not the rightful winner of the election.
[Opposition candidate Edmundo] González and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told reporters they have obtained more than 70% of tally sheets from Sunday’s election, and they show González with more than double Maduro’s votes. Both called on people, some of whom protested in the hours after Maduro was declared winner, to remain calm and invited them to gather peacefully at 11 a.m. Tuesday to celebrate the results.
“I speak to you with the calmness of the truth,” González said as dozens of supporters cheered outside campaign headquarters in the capital, Caracas. “We have in our hands the tally sheets that demonstrate our categorical and mathematically irreversible victory.” [...]
Machado told reporters tally sheets show Maduro and Gonzalez received more than 2.7 million and roughly 6.2 million votes respectively. (AP)
Gonzalez implored supporters to remain peaceful.
“A free people is one that is respected, and we are going to fight for our freedom,” Gonzalez said. “Dear friends, I understand your indignation, but our response from the democratic sectors is of calmness and firmness.”
