Miami-based plot against election integrity suspects, as claimed by Maduro's campaign chief.
Rewritten Article:
Mexico City, Mexico, July 23, 2024 - Jorge Rodríguez, the mastermind behind President Nicolás Maduro's reelection bid, lashed out at a rumored scheme by Venezuela's far-right opposition, supposedly cooked up in Miami, Florida, to accuse electoral fraud following the presidential vote scheduled for Sunday.
In a heated press conference on Monday, Rodríguez, who doubles as the head of the country's National Assembly, claimed that the opposition meant to conduct an independent vote-count from an operations center in Miami, Florida. He snarled, "This ain't from the National Electoral Council (CNE), and it ain't even in any city within Venezuela—no, instead, it's in Miami."
Capitalizing on polls showing support for the US-backed opposition, leaders from Venezuela's right-wing parties have embarked on a media blitz, insisting their victory is all but guaranteed, with nothing less than "fraud" standing between them and the presidency. This narrative has been zealously echoed in most media outlets, stirring up a whirlwind of suspicion.
However, it's worth noting that polling in Venezuela is questionable, with pollsters historically displaying a detectable pro-opposition bias. Before the upcoming election, opinion pollsters with limited past performance have provided contrasting results, predicting either Maduro or his main challenger, Edmundo González, to lead comfortably.
A leaked report from pro-opposition pollster Datanálisis supposedly predicted a narrow Maduro victory by July 28. Nevertheless, the opposition has a history of crying fraud following losses in electoral contests.
Venezuela boasts a sturdy electoral system fortified with multiple safeguards to prevent electoral manipulation, such as ballot-box stuffing or duplicate votes. Moreover, 54% of voting machines are randomly selected after polls close to verify the accuracy of electronic counts against paper backups.
In a recent statement to the media, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged Maduro to respect the election's outcome. "Maduro knows the sole route to resuscitate Venezuela is an election respected by all," Lula said on Monday.
Following a brief respite, the US reinstated coercive measures that hinder Venezuela's oil sales and foreign investment. Despite the setbacks, Venezuela's economy has shown appreciable growth, with inflation reaching decade-lows, although wages remain stagnant.
However, the campaign has largely remained peaceful, with Maduro repeatedly cautioning that the opposition could resort to violence or acts of sabotage before the vote. In the western state of Falcón, Governor Victor Clark posted images to denounce "vandalism and sabotage" that wrecked breakers in a local electrical substation. Meanwhile, in the eastern state of Bolívar, officials accused unidentified individuals of intentionally cutting cables for the Angostura Bridge.
As the election approaches, both government and opposition factions have been touring the country non-stop. Maduro's Socialist-led coalition, the Great Patriotic Pole, excels at organizing and rallying support. The president's reelection campaign centers on forming a deep connection with the population by holding massive demonstrations under the slogan "Hope is in the Streets."
In contrast, Maduro's 74-year-old rival has primarily conducted interviews from his Caracas apartment, seldom venturing out onto the campaign trail. Instead, the US-backed opposition has put far-right politician María Corina Machado forward as the face of the campaign. Machado may not be on the ballot following her political disqualification, but she is widely regarded as González's proxy candidate.
Recently, the pair appeared together at an "prayer gathering" in eastern Caracas, considered a stronghold for the opposition. Despite the opposition mobilizing considerable demonstrations in support of their candidate, Sunday's gathering attracted a surprisingly modest turnout.
With an unpredictable outcome, Sunday's presidential election might hinge on the political force that can deliver the most effective vote-getting scheme. The Great Patriotic Pole demonstrated its mettle with a practice vote held earlier this month, whereas the US-backed opposition alliance downplayed participation in the electoral dry-run.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
- In the run-up to Sunday's presidential vote in Venezuela, Jorge Rodriguez, a key figure in President Nicolas Maduro's reelection bid, accused the far-right opposition of attempting to manipulate the election results from Miami, Florida, through an independent vote-count.
- Capitalizing on polls suggesting support for the US-backed opposition, political leaders from Venezuela's right-wing parties have embarked on a media campaign, alleging that fraud could be the only obstacle to their victory in the general election.
- Despite controversies surrounding polling in Venezuela, the National Electoral Council (CNE) has fortified the electoral system with safeguards against manipulation, such as verifying electronic counts against paper backups and random selection of voting machines for post-poll checks.
- As the election approaches, both factions - the Maduro-led Socialist coalition and the US-backed opposition - have been intensely campaigning across the country, with the former demonstrating its organizing power through massive demonstrations and the latter emphasizing María Corina Machado's presence in key events, despite her political disqualification.
