U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed “serious concerns” regarding the outcome of Venezuela’s recent presidential election, which officials claim was won by incumbent Nicolas Maduro.
Speaking in Tokyo on Monday, Blinken voiced apprehensions that the election results did not accurately represent the will or votes of the Venezuelan populace. He urged for full transparency in the release of election results and emphasized the importance of an immediate and clear dissemination of information by election officials. Blinken highlighted the need for every vote to be counted fairly and for electoral authorities to share details with the opposition and independent observers without delay. He noted that the international community is closely monitoring the situation and will respond appropriately.
In Venezuela, the announcement of Sunday’s election results faced a delay of several hours. The National Electoral Council, controlled by Maduro loyalists, declared Maduro the winner without providing detailed tallies from polling stations.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was barred from running, asserted that based on tallies received from campaign representatives at about 40 percent of polling stations nationwide, the opposition’s candidate, Edmundo González, had an overwhelming margin of victory.
Venezuelan state-sponsored news is airing this “official result” from tonight election.
The total adds up to 109%. pic.twitter.com/Hzy5bpDrlr
— Kareem Rifai (@KareemRifai) July 29, 2024
People gathered all over the country banging pots and waving flags in a display of solidarity. Some protesters attempted to obstruct major highways, including the one linking the capital to a port city where the country’s main international airport is located.
Following the announcement of Maduro’s supposed victory with 51 percent of the vote compared to retired diplomat Edmundo González’s 44 percent, officials postponed the release of detailed vote counts. These competing claims have created a tense and high-stakes situation.
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