The National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that President Nicolás Maduro had won Venezuela election for presidency, sparking a divisive chain of events. The opposition has claimed fraud and threatened legal action in response to this outcome, which has generated a significant deal of debate and controversy. Let’s examine this hotly contested election’s specifics and what it means for Venezuela.

The Election Results

The head of the National Electoral Council, Elvis Amoroso, a known ally of President Maduro, announced that with 80% of ballots counted, President Maduro secured 51.20% of the vote. IIn comparison, Edmundo González, his principal opponent, received 44.02%. The opposition has vehemently criticized and flatly rejected these partial results.

The Reaction of Opposition

González has garnered support from the Venezuela election opposition, which has rejected the CNE’s declaration as forgery. They assert that their candidate won with 70% of the vote. According to exit polls, quick counts, and official vote totals, González had a forty-point advantage against Maduro. The determination of the opposition to challenge these outcomes is another proof of the general mistrust that permeates the election process under Maduro’s control.

Political atmosphere and historical context

For the past 25 years, the socialist PSUV party has ruled Venezuela; it was first led by the late President Hugo Chávez, who passed away in 2013, and since then, Nicolás Maduro has taken over. The lengthy PSUV rule has prompted several requests for change from the electorate. Pre-election surveys showed that González would easily defeat Maduro, a sign of the public’s desire for a change of direction after many years of socialist governance.

Fraud and irregularity accusations

Fears of election fraud were rampant, particularly in light of Maduro’s previous electoral scandals. After his victory in 2018, he received similar criticism for not being free or fair. This year’s election was no exception, with allegations of irregularities surfaced well ahead of the outcome. The statement made by Maduro that he would win “by hook or by crook” confirmed these fears.

Global Responses

The results of the election have also drawn criticism from the international world. “Serious concerns that the declared outcome does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” stated US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Chilean President Gabriel Boric requested “total transparency” and external observers’ verification of the results. The president of Uruguay has declared that the Maduro administration would win, regardless of the number of votes cast.

Support for Maduro Despite the incident, Maduro’s allies rushed to offer their congratulations. Highlighting the “bravery and dignity” of the Venezuelan people, the Cuban president declared the result to be an accomplishment against foreign powers. Maduro and his allies welcomed the result in Caracas, calling it a win for stability and peace. He praised the transparency of the Venezuelan electoral process and wrote off the opposition’s accusations of fraud as commonplace.

Electoral Process and Challenges

Venezuela’s voting process is primarily electronic. Voters select their preferred candidate on a machine, which then sends the results to CNE headquarters. Each machine also prints a paper receipt, which is placed in a ballot box. By law, parties can send witnesses to monitor the counting of these paper receipts at each polling station. However, the opposition reported that their witnesses were forced to leave many stations, hampering their ability to verify the results.

Opposition’s Strategy

The opposition had planned to use the paper receipts to cross-check the CNE’s electronic results. This plan was compromised when many of their witnesses were denied access to the polling stations. As a result, the opposition was only able to access a fraction of the printed receipts, casting further doubt on the election’s integrity.

Historical Reliability

There have been accusations of fraud in previous Venezuelan elections. The election of Maduro in 2018 was likewise hotly contested, and many foreign observers denounced it as fraudulent. Under Maduro’s direction, a trend of divisive elections has continued, escalating political tensions and undermining popular confidence in the democratic process.

The Way Forward

Venezuela is currently experiencing a protracted political crisis that was precipitated by the contentious election results. There appears to be imminent instability in the country given the opposition’s resolve to contest the results in court and through public demonstrations. How the international community reacts will also have a big impact on the post-election mood.

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