Venezuela’s President was declared the winner of the country’s presidential election—despite numerous exit polls predicting a victory for opposition candidate Edmundo González—prompting U.S. officials and other Latin American leaders to question the results and accuse Maduro of engaging in electoral fraud.
President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of the Venezuelan elections in a result that has ... [+]
Venezuela’s electoral authority claimed Maduro had secured 51% of the vote, while González received 44%—handing the incumbent a third term in office.
In a speech delivered to his supporters in front of the presidential palace, Maduro called his win a “triumph of peace and stability” while rejecting any suggestions of electoral fraud.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” as he urged the country’s authorities to share detailed information with the opposition and independent observers.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., lashed out at Maduro, saying he lost by at least 30 points in reality and accused his regime of carrying out “the most predictable and ridiculous sham election in modern history.”
Chilean President Gabriel Boric said: “The Maduro regime must understand that the results it publishes are hard to believe…international observers who are not committed to the government should verify the results,” failing which his government will not recognize the outcome.
Just before the results were announced, Argentinian President Javier Milei tweeted: “Venezuelans chose to end the communist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro…Argentina will not recognize another fraud, and expects the Armed Forces this time to defend democracy and the will of the people.”
Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou also dismissed the results as fraudulent saying: “It was an open secret. They were going to “win” regardless of the actual results. The process up to the day of the election and the scrutiny was clearly flawed.”
Peruvian Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea condemned the electoral “irregularities” and accused Maduro’s regime of engaging in “fraud”, recalled his country’s ambassador from Venezuela and said, “Peru will not accept the violation of the popular will of the Venezuelan people.”
Venezuela’s most popular opposition leader María Corina Machado—who backed González’s candidacy after being controversially disqualified from running—told supporters that González had recorded an “overwhelming,” based on tallies she received from representatives present at 40% of the ballot boxes. “We won and the whole world knows it.”