United States' Stance on Venezuela's Presidential Elections Faces Rejection

Updated Article:

Caracas, August 2, 2024 (our website) - The Venezuelan government has blasted the United States for acknowledging opposition candidate Edmundo González as the victor of last Sunday's presidential vote, calling the move a brazen attempt at orchestrating a coup.

"We vehemently reject the absurd and disrespectful declarations that seek to usurp the role of Venezuela's electoral authorities," blares Foreign Minister Yván Gil's statement, published Friday morning. "The U.S. interference in our nation's democratic process is alarming and unacceptable."

The tension escalated as Caracas accused Washington of creating a "deceptive narrative" meant to stir unrest in the Caribbean nation. The statement continued, "Venezuelan authorities are determined to maintain national sovereignty and reject any foreign intervention."

Earlier on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared, "It is crystal clear to the United States that Edmundo González Urrutia has won the most votes in Venezuela's July 28 presidential election." Blinken offered his congratulations and urged for peaceful transition negotiations in accordance with Venezuelan electoral rules.

Sunday marked the significant event—the 2025-2030 presidential elections. The National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Maduro as the winner, with 51.2 percent of the vote, whereas González trailed behind with 44.2 percent. Initial results boasted a 59 percent turnout. The CNE's result bulletin was based on a reported tallying of 80 percent of voting centers, but the electoral body has yet to publish detailed results by voting center. Authorities denounced a hacking operation that has delayed the vote-tallying and publishing operations.

The hardline opposition, led by María Corina Machado, rejected the announced results, insisting González had triumphed in a landslide. The US-backed group created a parallel website supposedly including more than 80 percent of voting records from polling stations. Despite pursuing in-person witnesses and copies, the tallying discrepancies gave rise to protests in various Venezuelan cities on Monday. In many cases, these demonstrations resulted in violent clashes with security forces.

Notably, there have also been reports of persecution against Chavista supporters. An opposition mob set fire to the Socialist Party (PSUV) headquarters in Carora, Lara state, leaving three individuals seriously wounded. The electoral unrest has left an unconfirmed total of 17 dead and dozens injured to date.

Security forces' response resulted in over a thousand arrests. Notable opposition figures, including Popular Will's Freddy Superlano, are among those detained. In an effort to validate the elections' results, Maduro has submitted an amparo request to the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) for a review of the electoral process. The TSJ's electoral chamber has accepted Maduro's motion and summoned all 10 candidates to appear at its Caracas headquarters on Friday afternoon.

While Russia and China have acknowledged the outcome and Maduro's new term, Caracas has ordered the withdrawal of its diplomatic personnel from seven Latin American countries, including Argentina and Chile, over their stances deemed to be meddling in Venezuelan affairs. On Thursday, the Brazilian, Colombian, and Mexican governments issued a joint statement, pledging support for Venezuelan sovereignty, promising to closely monitor the vote-tallying process, and recommending that any disputes be resolved through institutional means.

In a Wednesday meeting with national and foreign journalists, Maduro vowed, "Venezuela will not succumb to fascism and imperialism." Taking special aim at the US, Maduro argued that conversation could only occur on the basis of Venezuelan sovereignty. He also released an alleged agreement, signed with US officials in Qatar in September 2023, outlining conditions regarding the presidential vote. The document notes that both the Venezuelan government and opposition would agree to these terms during a meeting in Barbados a month later, with a six-month sanctions waiver allowing transactions in Venezuela's oil and gas sectors. However, the United States re-imposed energy sanctions in April for the Maduro administration's alleged failure to uphold its commitments from the Barbados negotiations.

Insights:

Venezuela's political climate lingers in uncertainty following the hotly contested 2024 elections. Key events in the aftermath include the international community's divided response, concerns about election fairness, and escalating tensions between Venezuela and the United States.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil, in his statements, vehemently rejects the US acknowledgment of opposition candidate Edmundo González as the winner of the presidential vote, labeling it as an unwarranted attempt to interfere in Venezuela's democratic process.
Several foreign countries, like Russia and China, have agreed with Maduro's re-election, whereas others, such as Argentina and Chile, have pledged support for Venezuelan sovereignty while criticizing interference in their migration policies and politics.
In the midst of the election unrest, various Venezuelan cities witnessed violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces, leading to numerous casualties and a significant number of arrests, including Popular Will's Freddy Superlano.
Amidst the claims of election fraud by the hardline opposition, led by María Corina Machado, there have been reports of persecution against Chavista supporters, with incidents such as the burning of PSUV headquarters in Carora, Lara state.
In a bid to legitimize the elections' results, President Maduro has pledged to adhere to the rule of policy and legislation in addressing any discrepancies, stressing that Venezuela will not succumb to external pressures during war-and-conflicts or crime-and-justice issues, as per general news reports.