Q24N — Tensions are rising in the streets of Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, as a day of protests against the re-election of current president Nicolás Maduro and the repression that has left a tragic outcome.
The Venezuelan opposition, led by María Corina Machado, is calling for a large mobilization to demand recognition of the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia, amid a climate of threats and repression.
The protests against the election result have left at least 16 dead and more than 1,200 arrested, according to opposition data, while Chavismo insists that there was no fraud.
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Three Latin American countries, Argentina, Uruguay, and Ecuador, have recognized González’s victory, defying the official proclamation of Maduro as re-elected president.
Over the past year, María Corina Machado has traveled from one end of Venezuela to the other twice, facing enormous challenges such as road closures, flight cancellations and personal attacks such as the throwing of animal blood on her car.
However, these obstacles have not stopped her determination to fight for democracy in her country.
On her walks through crowded streets, dozens of people have given her rosaries that she keeps with name, place and date, and hangs around her neck.
The opposition says it has evidence of fraud and presents a website with copies of 84% of the voting records in its possession.
Chavismo dismisses this and claims that these documents are forged.
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“We have to continue moving forward to assert the truth. We have the evidence and the world already recognizes it,” said Machado.
Nicolás Maduro, last Friday, described the accusations of electoral fraud as “a trap” supported by the United States to justify “a coup d’état” and thanked Brazil, Colombia and Mexico for their efforts to reach a political agreement in his country.
Maduro criticized the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, for backing the opposition’s accusations of fraud, after the US official said in a statement that there was “overwhelming evidence” of a victory by the opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia in the presidential elections last Sunday, July 28.
On Saturday, August 3, Machado took to the streets of Caracas. Riding in a van to the massive rally, Machado was greeted with the singing of the national anthem. It was her first public appearance since she was sheltering in place for fear a few days ago.
ÚLTIMA HORA | Caravana de motorizados en respaldo a Nicolás Maduro se desplaza por la avenida Francisco de Miranda hacia el centro de Caracas: “No vamos a permitir la guarimba” https://t.co/WZA9TsmZwq pic.twitter.com/SAKG6qZDR3
— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) August 3, 2024
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Nine of the 10 presidential candidates appeared before the Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) on Friday, where eight of them signed a notification in which the court informs that it will certify the results of last Sunday’s election in a ruling that will be “obligatory,” following an appeal filed by Maduro.
The opposition and human rights organizations have denounced an escalation in repression and persecution against Venezuelans who do not support the government. Machado has said that she remains sheltered and fears for her life.
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