CARACAS: Following the tight election over the weekend that saw both President Nicolas Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez declare victories, streets in towns and cities throughout Venezuela were mainly deserted on Monday, and supporters of the opposition remained restrained.
Governments in Washington and other places questioned the official results that maintained incumbent Maduro in office, demanding a complete tally of votes. As a result, few businesses were open and public transportation was in short supply.
Just after midnight, the national electoral commission announced that Maduro had secured a fifth term with 51% of the vote, extending a quarter of a century of socialist governance.
However, independent exit polls indicated a significant victory for the opposition after strong demonstrations in favor of Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Even as rumors of arrests and intimidation of his followers began to circulate, Gonzalez refrained from calling on his supporters to take to the streets and issued a warning against violence.
The administration of US President Joe Biden declared that Caracas’ declaration that President Nicolas Maduro had won a third term in power had lost “any credibility” and accused Venezuela of rigging elections and repressing voters.
Bolivia, China, Cuba, Honduras, and Russia applauded Maduro’s purported win.
Nine Latin American nations, including Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, along with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, demanded a “full review” of the findings.
According to Jose Raul Mulino, the president of Panama, his nation will sever diplomatic ties with Venezuela and remove its diplomats.
