Several countries that had been pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to release vote tallies backing his victory in last month’s presidential election are now suggesting a repeat of the contest. The proposal for a new election came after the main opposition coalition revealed proof that their candidate defeated Maduro by a wide margin. However, the opposition rejected the idea of redoing the election, calling it an insult to the people. Despite the pressure, Maduro’s government declared him the winner with 6.4 million votes, while the opposition’s candidate received 5.3 million votes.
The opposition leaders in Venezuela, Edmundo González and María Corina Machado, stunned the country by revealing that they had obtained over 80% of the vote tally sheets, showing González winning by a significant margin. This revelation prompted governments around the world, including Brazil, Colombia, and the U.S., to call for the release of a breakdown of election results. While some countries have recognized Maduro as the winner, others, like Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, have taken a more neutral stance and called for transparency in the electoral process.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro have both suggested the need for a new election in Venezuela. Lula stated that he does not recognize Maduro as the winner and called for a fresh vote with international observers. The previously reached agreement to hold a presidential election in late 2024 in Venezuela was tested by Maduro’s government, leading to the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions. Venezuelan law allows for a new election to be held within six to 12 months if the previous one is annulled due to fraud or an indeterminable outcome.
The possibility of a new election in Venezuela presents a risky gamble for Maduro and his allies, as they have lost support across the country following the disputed results of the last election. While the U.S. government has indicated that González won the election, President Joe Biden’s support for new elections was later clarified by a White House official as emphasizing the need for transparency in the electoral process. An analysis of vote tally sheets by the Associated Press showed that González received significantly more votes than the official declaration of Maduro’s victory.
In response to Venezuela’s political crisis, Colombian President Gustavo Petro suggested ideas such as new free elections and the establishment of a transitional government. However, the opposition leader María Corina Machado rejected the idea of a transitional government in a news conference, indicating differing approaches to resolving the ongoing political turmoil. The international community continues to monitor the situation in Venezuela closely, calling for transparency and respect for democratic processes in the country’s electoral system.
