Nicolás Maduro Photo: AA
On Tuesday, thousands continued to protest in Venezuela against President Nicolás Maduro’s decision to declare himself the winner of the elections. The opposition claims that their candidate received twice as many votes as Maduro. According to human rights activists, at least 11 people have died in clashes between protesters and police and military forces.
Alfredo Romero, head of the human rights organization Foro Penal, told reporters that, according to his information, at least 11 people, including two minors, were killed during the protests. Romero also reported that dozens were injured and 177 were arrested.
On Monday, when the demonstrations began, Venezuelan human rights activists reported four deaths: Foro Penal had information about one person killed in the northwest of the country, while another civil organization, the National Hospital Inspection, reported two killed in the state of Aragua near the capital, Caracas, and one in Caracas itself.
Photo: antikor
Escalating Tensions
Clashes continue in Venezuela as the opposition protests Nicolás Maduro’s declaration of victory. The authorities report one dead soldier.
Protest marches took place on Tuesday in the capital and several other cities in Venezuela. Opposition leaders claim they have copies of 90% of the electoral protocols, according to which their candidate, Edmundo González, received more than twice as many votes as Nicolás Maduro.
Opposition Unites the Country
Opposition leader María Corina Machado stated, “Our candidate received 70% of the votes. We have united the country. Venezuelans who once believed in Maduro are now with us.” One protester, who requested anonymity due to the threat of reprisals, told a BBC correspondent that he saw signs of vote tampering.
“We are completely sure the elections were stolen. I worked at a polling station. The authorities don’t acknowledge this; they stopped all voting protocols in the middle of the night. They don’t want the world to know they lost,” he said.
Government’s Position
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, controlled by Maduro and his United Socialist Party, announced that more than 51% of voters voted for Maduro. However, the full election results have not yet been published, despite demands from the opposition and many countries in the Americas that refuse to recognize Maduro’s victory.
61-year-old Nicolás Maduro, a disciple and successor of the late Hugo Chávez, has ruled the country since 2013. During his tenure, the GDP of once-prosperous Venezuela plummeted ninefold by 2020 and is now, after some recovery, still three and a half times lower.
María Corina Machado Photo: washingtontimes
Support for the President
In another part of the city, groups of Maduro supporters gathered to express their support. Nancy Ramones, one of the president’s supporters, said, “I support my government, which won. Nicolás Maduro. And I support him because he is a person who embodies peace.” She believes there was no election fraud and insists that if the opposition claims the results were falsified, they “must prove it.” She added, “This is a coup we will not allow. We are patriots. We are Venezuelans. We love peace.”
Maduro’s Accusations
On Tuesday, Nicolás Maduro accused Edmundo González and opposition leader María Corina Machado of inciting unrest, although Machado had called on her supporters to protest peacefully. Speaking on state television, Maduro claimed that protesters were beating peaceful citizens and committing arson.
Diplomatic Conflict
Caracas announced it is severing diplomatic relations with Peru, whose government does not recognize Maduro’s victory. Venezuelan authorities have also recalled their diplomats from Peru, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Uruguay, and Chile. All these countries refuse to recognize the officially announced results of the Venezuelan presidential elections.
These and several other countries have demanded an urgent meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Washington.
In a previous article by timeukraineisrael, we covered the start of the protests in Venezuela, the international community’s reaction, and the positions of both sides of the conflict. Stay tuned to our news for the latest updates.
