U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared on Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, and not incumbent Nicolás Maduro, won the country’s presidential election. Maduro has claimed victory and threatened the opposition since July 28, triggering widespread protests.
“Based on overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States, and most importantly, to the Venezuelan people, that Edmundo González Urrutia garnered the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election,” Blinken asserted.
Maduro is widely believed to have lost before proclaiming victory, and numerous regional governments have expressed skepticism about the results.
Government officials from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have been attempting to persuade Maduro’s administration to disclose the vote tally sheets from Sunday’s election and permit impartial verification, a Brazilian government official informed the Associated Press on Thursday. Such action would alleviate any doubts regarding the results, the official stated. Argentina’s newly elected libertarian leader has urged the anti-Maduro protests to persist.
On Wednesday, Maduro requested Venezuela’s highest court to conduct an audit of the election, but this request met with almost immediate criticism from foreign observers who argued that the court is too closely aligned with the government to produce an independent review.
Polls conducted throughout the summer consistently indicated that the opposition candidate was winning by double-digit margins.
When the National Electoral Council, controlled by Maduro loyalists, announced around midnight that Maduro had secured 51% of the vote compared to main opposition candidate González’s 44% support, council President Elvis Amoroso claimed that the results were based on 80% of voting stations and represented an irreversible trend.
“Meanwhile, the democratic opposition has published more than 80% of the tally sheets received directly from polling stations across Venezuela,” Blinken noted. “These tally sheets demonstrate that Edmundo González Urrutia secured the most votes in this election by an insurmountable margin.”
“The CNE’s swift declaration of Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the presidential election came without any supporting evidence,” the U.S. State Department stated on Thursday. “In the days since the election, we have engaged in extensive consultations with partners and allies around the globe, and while countries have adopted different approaches in their responses, none have concluded that Nicolás Maduro received the most votes in this election.”
Following the election, protesters have taken to the streets to express their anger at the results, prompting a heavy-handed response from authorities in some cases. Blinken called for authorities to safeguard opposition leaders like González and María Corina Machado, release arrested protesters, and facilitate a peaceful transition of power.
“Now is the opportune moment for the Venezuelan parties to initiate discussions on a respectful, peaceful transition in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the aspirations of the Venezuelan people,” Blinken concluded.