With a narrow majority, 51.2 percent of the vote, Venezuela’s incumbent President Nicolás Maduro of the Socialist Party declared victory in the elections in Venezuela. The opposition’s candidate Edmundo Gonzalez got 44.2 percent, according to the country’s electoral commission. On Monday evening Norwegian time, Maduro was declared the election winner by the electoral commission. But the opposition denies that Maduro won. They claim they got 70 percent of the vote. Election day polls showed that the opposition was likely to win. The election has been characterized by unrest, and many have feared that President Nicolás Maduro, who has ruled since 2013, would cheat his way to victory. Maylem Meneses Lauvstad is herself from Venezuela, but has lived in Norway for 25 years. She has no doubt that there is cheating behind Maduro’s declaration of victory. – We knew they would cheat. They cannot afford to give up power, says Lauvstad to news. Maylem Meneses Lauvstad cast his vote at the embassy in Oslo. Irregularities Ten candidates challenged Maduro. But the only real contender was Edmundo Gonzalez, a former ambassador. He represents the opposition coalition Unity Platform. In independent polls, he has led with between 30 and 50 percent. After the election results were announced, Maduro was quick to call it a victory for peace and stability. He also repeated the claim that the election was transparent. But the election was marked by major irregularities, according to The New York Times. There have been reports of threats against voters and that election workers have refused to present paper ballots. Edmundo Gonzalez was leading in the pre-election polls. He is a retired diplomat. Photo: Alexandre Meneghini / Reuters According to the BBC, the opposition had thousands of witnesses in polling stations around the country to be able to do their own counting. However, a spokesperson for Enhetsplattformen says that they were forced to leave the premises in several places. Maylem Meneses Lauvstad was himself an observer at the Venezuelan embassy in Oslo. Of the 149 votes cast, 134 went to the opposition, according to Maylen. She says that her family and friends in her home country are upset and disappointed, but that many will not accept the result without further ado. – Just because they have said that they have won, does not mean that it must be accepted without proof, says Lauvstad. Missed recognition Lauvstad believes the international community must demand that Maduro prove that he won the election. She points to Venezuela’s neighboring countries Brazil and Colombia, but also Norway, which has mediated between Venezuela’s political rivals. Professor Benedicte Bull, who has researched social development in Latin America, also believes it was too early to declare an election winner. – This election should solve a major problem for Maduro, and that is the lack of international recognition and extensive sanctions from the United States. He needs international recognition to speed up the economy, says Bull to news. Benedicte Bull is professor and political scientist at the Center for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Photo: Arnt Stefansen But international recognition has so far been lacking from several quarters. Several international leaders are skeptical of the result. Little trust from state leaders Among the skeptics is US Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken. He says they are seriously concerned that the election results are not correct, and want proof. – We ask the electoral authorities to publish the detailed count to ensure transparency and trust, said Blinken. The EU’s head of foreign affairs, Joseph Borrell, demands the same. A soldier in the queue outside a polling station in the capital Caracas. Photo: Yuri Cortez / AFP Chile’s president Gabriel Boric says “it is hard to believe the result” and that they will not recognize it. Nor will Panama and Peru, who call home their ambassadors. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopéz Obrador says he will wait until all the votes are counted before recognizing a winner. However, China, Russia and Cuba have congratulated Maduro on his victory. – Remember that you are always a welcome guest on Russian soil, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported Reuters. Some of the opposition’s supporters gathered outside a polling station in Caracas. Photo: Cristian Hernandez / AP Nine South American countries on Monday called for a “complete review” of the results with independent election observers present. – The election must be transparent, and the results must leave no room for doubt, says the joint statement from Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay, which was shared by the Argentine Foreign Ministry. They have called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS). Fears a new wave of refugees But Maylem Meneses Lauvstad believes Maduro’s government has more to lose than just the election. Accusations of corruption hang over the regime. By relinquishing power, they risk persecution. Lauvstad believes they must therefore be offered amnesty and immunity from criminal prosecution. Otherwise, the consequences could be great, she fears. Nicolás Maduro has been in power in Venezuela since 2013. Here he votes in the capital, Caracas. Photo: JUAN BARRETO / AFP – The worst solution is for them to continue, and for all the corruption, torture and crimes against humanity to continue, says Lauvstad, referring to accusations that have been leveled against Maduro and the government in Venezuela. Facts about Venezuela Venezuela is a federal republic where the president is head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the military. Population: 28,838,499 (2023) The president is elected for six years at a time and can serve for an unlimited number of terms. In the presidential election, a simple majority wins the vote. On two occasions, the Venezuelan presidency has rewritten the constitution so that more power is concentrated in the president. In practice, both the executive, legislative and judicial powers lie under the president’s party. Politics is highly polarized, and the opposition in the country has boycotted several elections and alleged that the elections have been manipulated. The authorities crack down hard on political dissent, and several from the opposition have been punished in the form of imprisonment and exile. Source: FN-sambandet/NTB – If it continues and nothing happens, then there will be a new wave of Venezuelan refugees, she continues. Nearly 8 million Venezuelans had left Venezuela by the end of 2023, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is referred to as the world’s biggest migration crisis. Imprisoned political opponents Before the election results were clear, Professor Benedicte Bull said that Maduro had filled the state apparatus with loyal supporters and the military. – In addition, he has taken complete control of the electoral council, which will announce the election results, she told news on Sunday. The current regime has cracked down hard on all opposition over several years in order to secure an election victory. Over a hundred election campaign workers for the opposition have been arrested in recent weeks. Both the opposition’s leading and second leading candidates, respectively Maria Corina Machado and Corina Yoris, were refused to stand for election by the authorities. Presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado held a press conference after the election results were presented. Photo: Matias Delacroix / AP Maduro has been the country’s president since 2013, and has been hated by many. Under his regime, Venezuela’s economy has collapsed. Inflation has exploded. There has been an acute shortage of food and medicine for long periods. Interested in foreign affairs? Listen to the foreign affairs editor’s podcast: Published 29/07/2024, at 06.21 Updated 29.07.2024, at 19.31
ttn-69
President Nicolás Maduro declared winner – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
