Soldiers removed the electoral lists from a closed polling station during the presidential election in Caracas on July 28, 2024. The re-election of Nicolas Maduro as President of Venezuela has not convinced many. Like Venezuelan voters, a large part of the international community is requesting to see the “acts” that allowed the electoral authorities to declare, late in the night of July 28-29, the victory of the incumbent president (51.2% of the votes) over his main opponent, Edmundo Gonzalez (44.2%). The “acts” refer to the minutes established at the closure of the polling stations, based on the results issued by the electronic voting machine.
Nicolas Maduro appears on live television, becoming angry and denouncing a “criminal maneuver” by the opposition and foreign interference. He also represses protests on the streets. However, he has not shown the official documentation supporting the election results. On August 1, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico joined in asking Venezuelan authorities to “quickly publish the detailed results from each polling station.” Despite having been ruled by leftist governments, these countries were demanding transparency from Venezuela. The United States went even further, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken stating that it was clear Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had won the most votes in the election.
Venezuela claims to have the “best electoral system in the world,” as stated by former US President Jimmy Carter, who praised the technical merits of a fully computerized voting system in 2012. Observers in Caracas agree that the voting machines and data transmission system are highly reliable. The voting process involves a voter selecting a candidate on a screen, the machine recording the choice, and printing a paper ballot that is deposited in an urn. At the close of polling stations, the machines transmit data to the Electoral Council’s tallying room in Caracas, and produce a printed paper strip with the election results. This serves as the official record signed by polling station members, with copies provided to party representatives present.
Half of the ballot boxes are then opened and paper ballots counted to confirm they match the electronic vote tally. This “double trace of the vote,” electronic and paper, is what makes the system secure according to electoral specialist Griselda Colina. The technical process is aimed at ensuring the integrity of the electoral results and preventing any tampering. Despite the advanced technological system in place, doubts have been raised about the transparency and accuracy of the election results, leading to calls for the publication of detailed data from each polling station. The controversy surrounding Maduro’s re-election has sparked international scrutiny and demands for accountability.
The international community’s skepticism regarding the election results in Venezuela has raised concerns about the legitimacy of Maduro’s presidency. The lack of transparency in the electoral process has prompted calls for a thorough review of the official documentation to verify the accuracy of the reported results. The alleged discrepancies in the vote count have led to accusations of electoral fraud and manipulation, further fueling political tensions in the country. The ongoing dispute over the election outcome underscores the importance of electoral integrity and the need for greater transparency in the democratic process.
