President Nicolás Maduro Declared Winner of Venezuela’s Presidential Election
Partial results from Venezuela’s electoral council confirm that President Nicolás Maduro has secured victory in the recent presidential election. Elvis Amoroso, the head of the National Electoral Council (CNE) and a close ally of Maduro, reported that with 80% of the votes counted, Maduro received 51.20% of the vote, while his closest competitor garnered 44.02%.
In response, the Venezuelan opposition has raised accusations of widespread electoral fraud, vowing to contest the outcome. Uniting behind candidate Edmundo González, the opposition aimed to oust Maduro, who has held power for 11 years.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Caracas, Maduro heralded his re-election as a "triumph of peace and stability." He extolled the integrity of Venezuela’s electoral system, dismissing opposition claims of fraud as routine complaints.
Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed skepticism regarding the election results, citing significant concerns that they do not genuinely reflect the will of the Venezuelan populace. Conversely, Cuba, an ally of Maduro, celebrated the outcome, stating, "the people spoke and the Revolution won."
The opposition implemented measures across the nation, dispatching thousands of witnesses to polling stations for independent vote counting. However, reports emerged that these witnesses encountered numerous obstacles, often being forced to vacate polling sites.
Opposition leaders had urged their supporters to remain vigilant at voting centers during critical hours post-election, citing apprehensions that the government may attempt to manipulate the vote.
Prior to the election, opinion polls suggested a significant advantage for González over Maduro. Many voters expressed a desire for change, particularly after 25 years of PSUV party leadership, which began with the late Hugo Chávez and continued under Maduro post-Chávez’s passing in 2013.
The government has been accused of consolidating control across the executive, legislative, and much of the judiciary. The previous election in 2018 faced strong criticism for lack of fairness and transparency, leading to worries about the integrity of this year’s vote.
Maduro’s own comments prior to the election, indicating he would win "by hook or by crook," intensified apprehensions regarding potential election irregularities. Despite these challenges, opposition figures remained optimistic, encouraging massive turnout to thwart any attempts at electoral fraud.
Venezuela’s voting system is electronic, with voters using machines to select their candidates. Electronic results are transmitted to CNE headquarters, and a paper receipt is printed for each vote, which is deposited in a ballot box. While legislation permits parties to appoint witnesses for counting these paper receipts, many opposition representatives claimed they were denied access to monitor the counting process effectively, with reports indicating that they had access to less than one-third of the receipts for verification.
