Various countries are questioning the official results of the presidential election in Venezuela and are demanding detailed figures. The USA is now going a step further.
The USA has recognised opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the winner of the disputed presidential election in Venezuela and increased pressure on the authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro. “Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, above all, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia received the most votes in the July 28 presidential election in Venezuela,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. It is now time for the parties in the South American country to start talks on a “peaceful transition”.
After the election on Sunday, the pro-government electoral authority declared the socialist Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner. However, it has not yet published the detailed results for the individual voting districts. The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud and claims victory for González. As evidence, it published data which it claims are the results from more than 80 percent of the voting districts. According to this, González received 67 percent of the votes and Maduro only 30 percent.
The G7 foreign ministers and several Latin American countries called on the electoral office to publish the detailed results. The independent US organization Carter Center, which sent election observers to Venezuela, described the vote as undemocratic. Maduro requested an investigation into the election by the Supreme Court, which is considered loyal to the government.
According to Maduro, 1,200 “criminals” have been arrested following demonstrations and another 1,000 are being sought. He said González and opposition leader María Corina Machado belong in prison. According to independent organizations, at least eleven people have died.
Maduro’s re-election in 2018 was not recognized by many countries. The then parliamentary president, Juan Guaidó, declared himself interim president. The USA, Germany and other countries recognized him, but he was unable to assert himself in the country – mainly because the military was behind Maduro.
