CARACAS.- The international community reacted to the results announced by the National Electoral Council, which is close to the Chavista regime, demanding transparency and a recount of votes after the electoral fraud that declared Nicolás Maduro the “winner.”
Several countries such as Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, as well as international political figures denounced electoral fraud in Venezuela, following Sunday’s elections held amid a process plagued by irregularities and disadvantageous for the opposition.
Added to this is the presence of colectivos and paramilitaries in the streets, responding to the regime’s calls to intimidate the civilian population that remained in the vicinity of the voting centers in an attempt to protect the vote and ensure that the popular will was fulfilled.
Once again, Venezuelans experienced moments of anguish when they learned late at night the results, in which at least 30% of the votes in the hands of the democratic unity confirmed the victory of Edmundo González with 70% of the votes, as expressed by the leader María Corina Machado.
The exit polls gave Edmundo González the victory with 65% of the votes. The polls carried out during the campaign favoured the opposition candidate by a wide margin. The rallies during the electoral campaign were massive, unlike those of the regime.
Lack of transparency, irregularities and electoral fraud have been some of the expressions pointed out by leaders, foreign ministers and parliamentarians.
The head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, asked Venezuela on Monday to guarantee “total transparency” in the counting of votes following the elections in which President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded a “fair and transparent” recount of the votes.
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who had predicted a victory for Nicolás Maduro after a process marked by a lack of transparency, said he now expects the Maduro regime to “shut down the Internet inside #Venezuela to make it harder for those inside to communicate with each other and the world.”
While the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, pointed out that “Venezuelans chose to end the communist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro. The data announce a crushing victory for the opposition and the world awaits for it to recognize defeat after years of socialism, misery, decadence and death.”
“Argentina will not admit to another fraud, and expects the Armed Forces to defend democracy and the will of the people this time.”
Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino said that “the difference in votes against the Chavista dictatorship is overwhelming. They lost in all states by more than 35%.”
On the other hand, the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, said that Venezuela deserves transparent, accurate results that are in line with the will of its people.
“We received the results announced by the CNE with many doubts. That is why the reports from the electoral observation missions are essential, as today, more than ever, they must defend the vote of the Venezuelans.”
Former Colombian President Ivan Duque said that “the theft has been consummated: The tyrant Nicolás Maduro has committed electoral fraud to perpetuate himself in power, ignoring the massive support of the Venezuelan people for the heroic democratic resistance led by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia.”
“I strongly call on the international community to take the side of democracy, not recognize the tyrant and exert maximum pressure to prevent the consolidation of this usurpation of power,” said the former president of the South American nation.
Brazil, through its diplomatic channels, said it will wait for the availability of the minutes to recognize the results.
The Brazilian government will wait until the minutes of the presidential elections in Venezuela are available before recognizing the results of the vote in Caracas. Brasilia’s precaution is taken given the sensitivity of the process. Meanwhile, Brazil has asked the UN mission stationed in Venezuela and the Carter Center to investigate accusations by opposition movements that, on Sunday night, denounced the problems they are having in counting the votes in the elections.
The Chilean president said that the results provided by the CNE are “hard to believe.” He added that “the Maduro regime must understand that the results it publishes are hard to believe. The international community and above all the Venezuelan people, including the millions of Venezuelans in exile, demand total transparency of the minutes and the process, and that international observers not compromised with the government account for the veracity of the results.”
Elon Musk added this expression on his X account: “Shame on the dictator Maduro. The tycoon had given his support to María Corina Machado for the elections in Venezuela.
Finally, Carlos A. Giménez, a U.S. congressman, pointed out that “dictator Nicolás Maduro has decided to turn today’s elections into a total farce.”
He called on President Joe Biden to suspend all diplomatic relations with Venezuela and reimpose the strictest oil sanctions and increase Maduro’s bounty from $15 to $50 million!
Before the results were known, foreign ministers from seven Latin American countries called for transparency in Venezuela’s elections. The foreign ministers of Uruguay, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay and Peru issued a joint statement expressing their concern and announcing that they would closely monitor electoral developments in Venezuela.
Source: EDITORIAL DAILY LAS AMÉRICAS / SOCIAL NETWORKS / PRESS RELEASES
