Power struggle in Venezuela – protests against Maduro’s election victory

After the authoritarian president’s controversial re-election, the opposition in Venezuela feels cheated of its victory. There are also doubts about the result abroad.

After the controversial count of the presidential election in Venezuela, pressure on the streets is increasing. At least one person was killed in protests against the election result, the non-governmental organization Foro Penal reported. Five others suffered gunshot wounds. In addition, 46 demonstrators were arrested.

The National Electoral Council officially declared Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner of Sunday’s presidential election. The opposition accused the government of electoral fraud and claimed victory for its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. The government’s opponents had access to 73 percent of the results, which showed an unassailable lead for the challenger, said opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Doubts about the official election results were also raised in the USA, the EU and a number of Latin American countries. The Venezuelan government then expelled the ambassadors of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay from the country and withdrew its diplomatic staff from these countries.

The authoritarian government in Caracas, however, received support from its allies in Russia, China, Cuba and Nicaragua. Moscow called on the opposition in Venezuela to admit defeat and recognize Maduro’s victory. “Of course, it is very important that these attempts to aggravate the situation in Venezuela are not fueled by third countries and that Venezuela remains free from external interference,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Fear of an escalation grew in the country. The opposition announced major protests, and the government also wants to bring its supporters onto the streets. After the election, there were over 100 attacks, said President Maduro. The USA and the opposition were behind them. “This is a fascist, counter-revolutionary and criminal group.”

The security forces cracked down on the demonstrators: police officers were seen on television using tear gas and beating people. Shots were also fired at demonstrators who were marching to the presidential palace in the capital Caracas, as the newspaper “El Nacional” reported and was seen in a video. The shooters could be so-called colectivos – pro-government paramilitary groups that enforce the government’s agenda with violence.

Maduro now wants to start his third six-year term in January 2025. According to observers, the chances of a change in policy in Caracas are better than they have been for a long time. In contrast to the elections six years ago, the opposition was united this time. In addition, given the catastrophic economic situation, even loyal supporters of the socialist government were disappointed.

According to experts, there is still a chance for change in Venezuela despite the official election result. “Political change can take place even after this controversial election, even if some people in positions of power refuse to step down,” wrote Tamara Taraciuk Broner of the Inter-American Dialogue research institute in the journal Americas Quarterly. “The key question for the future is how to create incentives for people who can help the country break away from the current repressive apparatus and take the complicated path to democracy.”

Maduro’s re-election in 2018 was not recognized internationally by many countries. The then parliamentary president, Juan Guaidó, declared himself interim president in 2019, but was unable to assert himself in the country – mainly because the military was behind Maduro. This meant that he was able to simply sit out the protests at the time.

“Many members of the security forces, the judiciary and the electoral authorities could have a better future in a democratic Venezuela if they decide in the coming weeks not to blindly cling to power, not to repress the public and political opposition, and to respect the will of the people expressed through the election,” Taraciuk Broner wrote. “They need to hear loud and clear from a united opposition and key international actors that this is their best option for the future.”

Venezuela has been in a serious political and economic crisis for years. In the once rich country with large oil reserves, more than 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Power outages are a recurring problem. Petrol, gas and medicines are in short supply. More than seven million people – a quarter of the population – have left Venezuela in the past ten years because of poverty and violence.