The U.S. government has recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as the winner of the country’s presidential election, contradicting the results announced by electoral authorities that declared President Nicolás Maduro the victor. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that it is clear based on overwhelming evidence that González won the most votes in the election. González and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado have claimed to have obtained more than two-thirds of the tally sheets from electronic voting machines, which they believe would prove Maduro lost. The U.S. government’s recognition of González came amidst diplomatic efforts to convince Maduro to release the vote tallies and calls for an independent review of the results by officials from Brazil and Mexico.
Government officials from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have been working to persuade Maduro to show the vote tally sheets from the election and allow for impartial verification. They have emphasized that transparency is crucial to dispel any doubts about the election results. The governments of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico issued a joint statement calling on Venezuela’s electoral authorities to publicly release detailed voting data in order to respect the principle of popular sovereignty through impartial verification of the results. Opposition supporters have taken to the streets to protest the election results, with some being arrested and cases of violence reported.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has expressed fears for her safety and highlighted the opposition’s physical evidence that Maduro lost the election. Machado, who was barred from running for president, has called on the international community to intervene. The Venezuelan government’s repression of opposition leaders has forced many into exile. Maduro has requested an audit of the election by Venezuela’s highest court, which has drawn criticism for its close alignment with the government. The court has ordered Maduro, González, and the other candidates to appear before the justices for the audit.
There has been pressure on Maduro to release detailed vote counts, as the National Electoral Council, loyal to the ruling party, has not provided results broken down by voting machine. The opposition leader claims that the tallies show González received more votes than Maduro. Venezuela, once boasting a strong economy due to its oil reserves, has faced a downward spiral under Maduro’s leadership with plummeting oil prices, widespread shortages, hyperinflation, social unrest, and mass emigration. The international community, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States, is urging transparency and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people in the election process.
