Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro won the presidential election with over 50% of the vote, although the opposition disputes the results. The National Electoral Council announced Maduro as the winner with 51% of the vote, while the main opposition candidate, Edmundo González, received 44% support. Despite being declared the winner of a third term, the opposition claimed victory and contested the results. The opposition alleged that the electoral authority, controlled by Maduro loyalists, did not publish results from all 30,000 polling stations, limiting their ability to challenge the outcome.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado claimed González had an “overwhelming” margin of victory based on results from 40% of ballot boxes across the country. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Senator Marco Rubio, expressed skepticism about the validity of the election results. They raised concerns that the results did not reflect the will or votes of the Venezuelan people. Blinken called for election officials to release the full results immediately, and Rubio criticized the Maduro regime for carrying out a “sham election.”
Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font also called for transparency in the election results, stating that they should fully reflect the popular will expressed at the polls. Opposition representatives in Venezuela reported that their tallies from 30% of voting centers showed González defeating Maduro. The international community, including the U.S. and Chile, emphasized the importance of transparent and accurate election results that reflect the will of the Venezuelan people.
As tensions escalated over the disputed election results, the Venezuelan government faced off against the opposition in a showdown over the legitimacy of the outcome. Experts feared that Maduro could manipulate the election in his favor, as the opposition had initially led in polls. The opposition’s ability to challenge the results was hindered by the electoral authority’s failure to publish results from all polling stations. Despite the controversy surrounding the election, Maduro was declared the winner of a third term, prompting further opposition protests and international scrutiny.
The opposition’s claims of victory and calls for transparency in the election results raised doubts about the credibility of Maduro’s win. U.S. officials, lawmakers, and international leaders expressed concerns about the legitimacy of the election and urged election officials to release the full results promptly. The international community emphasized the need for transparent and accurate election processes that reflect the will of the people. The dispute over the election results raised tensions in Venezuela and drew attention to the country’s political divisions and challenges in ensuring fair and democratic elections.
