Venezuela's Rigged Election

The Dangers of Doubt VENEZUELA Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia both claimed victory in Sunday’s presidential election, amid accusations of fraud and irregularities that analysts say are likely to set the stage for a high-stakes political standoff in Venezuela, CNN reported. With more than 80 percent of the votes counted, Maduro appeared to have secured in excess of 51 percent of the vote, while his rival won more than 44 percent, according to Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE). Even so, leaders around the world cast doubt on the results, and supporters of both candidates are expected to escalate protests, Reuters reported. The results were announced despite the opposition’s claims of irregularities during the voting process and allegations of fraud. These included opposition witnesses being denied access to CNE headquarters and accusations that the electoral council was halting data being sent from local polling stations to their central location to prevent more votes from being processed. The CNE has previously faced criticism for bias in favor of Maduro, with Western officials accusing the government of manipulating the council to suppress Venezuela’s democratic prospects. The election was observed by a small mission from the US-based Carter Center, which admitted it lacked the capacity for comprehensive observation due to its limited size. Venezuela previously withdrew its invitation to allow observers from the European Union to monitor the vote. Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado claimed that their internal records showed González had received 70 percent of the vote compared with Maduro’s 30 percent. “We won, and everyone knows it,” she said during a news conference. The results were met with a mix of support and condemnation both domestically and abroad. In the capital Caracas, Maduro’s supporters celebrated outside the presidential residence, while opposition supporters expressed anger and greeted the announcement by banging pots, the Associated Press wrote. Dozens were arrested and at least one person was reported as killed in protests against the results in northwest Yaracuy state, Agence France-Presse reported. Other Latin American countries, such as Peru, Chile and Argentina, questioned the results, with 12 member states of the Organization of American States to discuss the election on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The United States and the EU also called for detailed vote counting and access to voting records to ensure transparency. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s allies – including China, Cuba, Russia and Bolivia – congratulated Maduro, who will mark his third consecutive term as the country’s president. Under Maduro, Venezuela’s oil-rich economy has cratered, resulting in unprecedented levels of poverty and shortages of basic goods, as well as forcing more than seven million Venezuelans to flee the country. The president has blamed foreign sanctions on his regime for the country’s woes, claiming that Venezuela has been a victim of an “economic war.” Amid fears of potential destabilization, the opposition called for supporters to remain calm and urged the government to refrain from stoking violence. Share this story