For weeks, the Venezuelan opposition has been demanding recognition of their candidate’s election victory. They accuse the president of electoral fraud. Now the opposition candidate is appealing to Maduro.
In Venezuela, opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia has called on authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro to hand over power peacefully. Addressing the ruler in a video on Platform X, he said: “You and your government must step aside and now take the step towards a peaceful transition.”
González appealed to the president to respect the people’s decision made in the July 28 election. “With every day that you hinder the democratic transition, Venezuelans suffer from a country in crisis and without freedom,” he continued. Clinging to power only makes this worse. In order to initiate democratic change in the country, González is ready to participate in political dialogue.
After the presidential election in Venezuela three weeks ago, the pro-government electoral authority officially declared the head of state Maduro, who has been in office since 2013, as the winner. This means he could begin another six-year term in January. However, the electoral office has not yet published the detailed results for the individual voting districts. The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud and claims victory for its candidate González.
In demonstrations against Maduro in recent weeks in Venezuela and abroad, thousands of people demanded recognition of González’s election victory.
The USA and a number of Latin American countries have already recognized the ex-diplomat as the election winner. The European Union, the Organization of American States and numerous other countries in the region have at least expressed clear doubts about the official election results and demanded the publication of the detailed results lists. The Supreme Court, which is also loyal to the party line, is currently examining the election documents.
