From CNN's Correspondent
The United States has declared that President Nicolás Maduro lost the popular vote in Venezuela’s recent election, as a leading opposition figure reported she is in hiding due to fears for her safety.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, “Based on the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to both the United States and the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in the July 28 presidential election.”
Blinken also condemned Maduro’s accusations against opposition leaders, including González and MarÃa Corina Machado, labeling them as baseless. He criticized the threats of arrest against these leaders as an undemocratic attempt to suppress political engagement and cling to power.
Following the announcement of Maduro’s victory with 51% of the vote by Venezuela’s electoral body, which is heavily influenced by the regime, protests erupted across the country. The election was deemed pivotal for Venezuela’s faltering democracy and its struggling economy. Many young opposition supporters had indicated they would leave the country if Maduro was re-elected, citing the dire economic collapse and violent repression under his administration.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, a key ally of Maduro, called for the arrest of opposition figures Machado and González on Tuesday. However, Venezuela’s Public Ministry later clarified that no arrest warrants had been issued for either.
The opposition, galvanized into a coalition and rallying around González, had shown strong polling numbers before the vote. It was considered the most significant challenge to the ruling establishment in 25 years.
Machado’s campaign confirmed on Thursday that she is currently in hiding. In an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal, Machado wrote, “I am writing this from hiding, fearing for my life, my freedom. I could be captured as I write these words.”
Despite Maduro’s promises of a fair election, the process faced numerous allegations of irregularities, including the arrest of opposition figures, Machado’s ban from running, denial of access to opposition witnesses during the vote count, and barriers for overseas Venezuelans to cast their ballots.
The Carter Center, one of the few independent observers, stated that Venezuela’s electoral process failed to meet international standards and breached multiple national laws.
Both Venezuela’s opposition and various Latin American leaders have rejected Maduro’s victory, with the United States among the many countries urging Venezuelan officials to release detailed election results.
