The European Union and the United States have expressed concern over Venezuela’s presidential election results amid allegations of fraud.
According to the Venezuela electoral authority, the incumbent president Nicolas Maduro was elected for a third six-year term on July 28 with 51 per cent of the vote while the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won 44 per cent.
The election took place on July 28, when 21 million Venezuelans were called to vote at the country’s 30,000 polling stations.
Tensions have risen in the country as both candidates have claimed victory.
Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado alleged Gonzalez had in fact won 70 per cent of the vote and that multiple independent exit polls decisively showed his victory.
Amid accusations of electoral fraud, both the EU and the US demanded relevant authorities publish a detailed tabulation of votes cast.
Josep Borell, the EU representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has called for “transparency” over the Venezuelan election results.
“Ensuring full transparency in the electoral process, including detailed counting of votes and access to voting records at polling stations, is vital,” he said on July 29.
The people of Venezuela voted on the future of their country peacefully and in large numbers.
Their will must be respected.
Ensuring full transparency in the electoral process, including detailed counting of votes and access to voting records at polling stations, is vital.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) July 29, 2024
Other EU leaders including Spain’s foreign minister José Albares also asked Venezuela to release a break down of recorded and verifiable voting data.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: “It’s critical that every vote is counted fairly and transparently, that election officials immediately share information with the opposition and electoral observers without delay and that the electoral authorities publish detailed tabulation of votes.
“We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” he said on July 29.
Blinken added that the international community was watching closely and would respond accordingly.
Reaction from Latin American leaders has been mixed.
Countries such as Chile, Peru and Costa Rica have rejected the election results, while Cuba, Honduras and Bolivia congratulated Maduro on his re-election.
Argentine President Javier Milei was critical of the outcome.
“Argentina is not going to recognise another fraud, and hopes that the Armed Forces this time will defend democracy and the popular will,” he wrote on X on July 29.
DICTADOR MADURO, AFUERA!!!
Los venezolanos eligieron terminar con la dictadura comunista de Nicolás Maduro. Los datos anuncian una victoria aplastante de la oposición y el mundo aguarda que reconozca la derrota luego de años de socialismo, miseria, decadencia y muerte.…
— Javier Milei (@JMilei) July 29, 2024
