CARACAS/MARACAIBO/MARACAY, Venezuela, July 29 (Reuters) – Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Monday that the country’s opposition has 73.2% of the voting tallies from Sunday’s election, allowing it to prove election results it says give it a victory. The national electoral authority has proclaimed incumbent President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the vote, giving him a third term in office and extending 25 years of socialist party rule.
But independent pollsters called that result implausible, and opposition leaders and foreign observers urged the electoral authority to release vote tallies. The tallies in possession of the opposition showed a total of 2.75 million votes for Maduro and 6.27 million for his rival, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, Machado said. The numbers were sharply different to the 5.15 million votes the electoral authority said Maduro had won, compared to 4.45 million for Gonzalez. Witnesses assigned to observe vote counts have a right to a copy of each voting machine’s tally under Venezuelan law, but the opposition said overnight that it only had about 40% of the records, that some witnesses were blocked from following counts, and that at other sites the tallies were not printed. The opposition has long warned about whether the vote would be fair, saying decisions by electoral authorities and the arrests of opposition staff were meant to create obstacles.
The electoral authority said just after midnight Maduro had won 51% of the vote. Later it proclaimed Maduro president for 2025 to 2031, adding he had won “the majority of valid votes.” Governments in Washington and elsewhere cast doubt on the results and called for a full tabulation of votes. Independent exit polls pointed to 65% support for Gonzalez and between 14% and 31% backing for Maduro. At least two people were killed in connection with the vote count or protests – one overnight in the border state of Tachira and another in Maracay on Monday.
Protesters gathered in towns and cities across Venezuela on Monday, including near the presidential palace in Caracas and outside some electoral authority offices. Gonzalez has repeatedly warned against bloodshed. But Maduro, whose 2018 re-election is considered fraudulent by the United States and others, said in evening remarks on state television that paid agitators had assaulted various electoral agency offices. “We know how to confront this situation and how to defeat those who are violent,” Maduro said. Jorge Rodriguez, a ruling party lawmaker and Maduro’s campaign manager, said earlier the opposition wanted to stoke violence and called for ruling party supporters to march on various routes to show support for the government on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino warned against allowing a repeat of the “terrible situations of 2014, 2017 and 2019”. Anti-government protesters took to the streets those years and hundreds were killed. Machado had called on the country’s military to uphold the results of the vote. The armed forces have long supported Maduro and there have been no public signs leaders were breaking from the government.
Comment: I don’t know what’s going to happen next. An earlier AP article described Venezuela’s capital as eerily calm. Maduro’s security forces have been adept at putting down protests. I don’t have high hopes that the opposition will prevail. So far only Russia, China and Iran have recognized Maduro’s claim of victory. I do wonder if this the prime reason for the Russian Navy ships docked in Caracas. Perhaps they were lending a hand to Maduro’s election machinations or ensuring the security forces don’t lose their nerve.
TTG
There is an old story of two powerful dragons that want to fight for control of the realm. They realize however the closer they get, the weaker they become. To maintain their strength, each dispatches minions in their territory from a distance.
The US is obviously one dragon in this proxy war but the other one, hard to say. I have a feeling it’s China even though it appears Russia on behalf of China. Regardless, the people of Venezuela know this situation will not be resolved by protesting or an audit.
Anya Parampil has written a book on Venezuela and she writes:
“The Venezuelan opposition have claimed fraud and contested virtually every election that they have lost since Chávez came to power. Yet they can never provide evidence, and that is because Venezuela’s electoral process is far more secure than what we have in the United States. I describe the voting process in the country, which I have observed firsthand, in my book, Corporate Coup.”
https://x.com/anyaparampil/status/1817945347223658668
The same was said about the US 2020 election; no evidence. To that I say look no further than the Constitution. We had judges implementing election rules which is illegal. Unfortunately nobody would enforce the rule of law. At that point there is no need to even look at ballots. The ignoring of the rule of law is the voter fraud.
As for the actual ballots, there is still no process to audit them so saying there is or isn’t fraud is a an unfalsifiable claim. It can’t neither be proven or dis-proven.
I don’t know anything about Venezuelan voting laws but unless there is a way to conduct an audit both sides are in the same unfalsifiable predicament.
bablethuap,
Latches, standing, moot. Federal court review of evidence – zero.
James,
So Parampil is both a socialist and a comedian.
Eric Newhill,
She has been to Venezuela, as have I.
I was in Venezuela in 2010. Everyone I talked to said that Hugo Chavez was DEFINITELY better than the US backed opposition (their emphasis not mine). Maduro has been a disaster. Maybe the people now prefer the US backed opposition, I don’t know. But I am not going to just believe what a US State Department spox has to say on the matter.
James,
Yeah, I’m sure you stayed with the struggling people and not in some fancy hotel after receiving the Latin American version of the Potemkin village Guided Tour.
I grow weary of these egocentric, “I met some very nice people of the head hunter cannibal tribe. We told jokes while eating fried bananas. You need to get out more” stories meant to smooth over all manner of hideousness in the world
Eric Newhill,
I stayed in a three star hotel that I chose at random. I did not take anything resembling a Potemkin Guided Tour. I did take a guided tour to Angel Falls that almost killed me, but I was an idiot and that is a whole other story.
This was Venezuela in 2011, as I said. It is different now. Venezuela in 2011 was socialist like Norway is socialist – its oil and gas reserves were owned by the government but the hotels I stayed in, the buses I rode on, the restaurants I ate in – were all capitalist free market enterprises. I literally ate in a Chili’s restaurant in Caracas and my US educated waiter explained to me why he preferred Chavez to the US backed opposition.
You froth at the mouth at other people’s ignorance but you get your information from where? Fox News?
The first thing I did when I checked into my hotel – my three star hotel – in Caracas is I turned on the TV and started flipping channels. Up came Fox News, which at the time was Chavez’s fiercest critic. Some dictatorship. We don’t even get Fox News in Canada (not on basic cable at least)!
But then you probably think that Canada is a communist dictatorship.
It’s no doubt a curiously convoluted argument presented by babelthuap, here. I have to read it again.
Maybe TTG can be won for an article in which you and Babel (if i may shorten the island) present both their respective opinions of The Steal. 😉
Remember when Chavez won his first election and the US refused to acknowledge the results and insisted on a new election that was monitored by international community including the US. It turns out that Chavez won by an even larger margin the the next time and the US has been trying to oust him and Maduro ever since. The sanctions we have put on Venezuela have destroyed their economy sending millions of economic refugees north to the US and other countries. If Venezuela did not have the worlds largest oil reserves none of this would be going on.
Yeah sure. Socialism has nothing to do with Venezuela’s problems…..because socialism always results in great prosperity and happiness. A socialist dictator would never be elected a phone election.
The situation in Venezuela is due to bipartisan failure in the US and will likely create even more refugees at the US border.
Lars,
I am as critical of US behaviour towards Venezuela as anyone – but Maduro is a colossal bozo and has to shoulder at least half the blame for the economic disaster in Venezuela. It is true that Venezuelans make up a very large slice of the illegal migrants crossing the US southern border.
Lars,
We never colonized nor administered Venezuela. The people there, of course, have no agency to run their own affairs.
Fred,
Gotta have an excuse for yet another colossal failure of socialism.
Nice to see glorious and righteous Russia supporting a socialist dictator in Venezuela. I guess a country that is buds with North Korea and Iran should be expected to do anything. Anyone but the most die hard America haters should be able to see that Russia and China are abject imperialists and are willing to let entire countries languish and populations to die to fulfill their goals.
Isn’t that the kind of crap that lefties always accuse the US of doing? But uh yeah, power to the people! Workers of the world unite and rise!
Genocide Vladimir
I don’t see Russia supporting drag queens.
It indeed has some good qualities.
“Genocide Vladimir”?
How about
“Drag Queen West”
Kieth,
Yeah sure. Why not? Two wrong make a right, don’t they?
Keith –
Known drag queen Republican congressman George Santos got big bucks from Russia.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/george-santos-had-shady-business-154330902.html
Eric Newhill,
You do know that both Iran and Venezuela have had their democratically elected governments overthrown and replaced by dictatorships – by the US? Maybe that is why they are friends with each other.
One would have to be pretty naive not to recognize that the US planned, organized, and supervised the 2002 insurrection in Venezuela.
James,
No, I don’t know your revisionist history. In my world, the sky is blue and the Shah was overthrown by a bunch of backwards, oppressive, murdering Islamic tyrants. Venezuela was a wealthy successful model country that was destroyed by a socialist take over and then started abusing and killing anyone who didn’t like that.
Eric,
You need to read up more. I find it amazing how you have such strident views on issues you know absolutely NOTHING about.
James talks about the CIA overthrow of a government in Iran. You instantly go to the Shah. Clearly shows you know FA about Iran, or most of the things you talk about in regards to the Middle East.
Anyone who knows the first thing about Iran knows James was talking about the CIA overthrow of the democratically elected Mosaddegh. It is well known and documented that the CIA was behind this and the instillation of the Shah. If you had read a book or two on Middle Eastern history you’d know this.
If not for the CIA overthrow of Mosaddegh these Islamic nutcases likely would have never come to power. Own goal by the CIA for the world.
Either an incredible lack of knowledge or a pathological hatred boarding on a psychotic hatred that causes you to ignore well known history. Either way doesnt matter.
Stefan,
The overthrow of both Mosaddegh and the Shah are facts.
Stefan,
Nope. What it clearly shows is that I don’t go back forever in time to try to force a point. Same reason I don’t believe in reparations for black Americans. If it happened in generations that are no longer alive – or mostly not alive – it really doesn’t have bearing on the current landscape. Mosaddegh was president of Iran more than 70 years ago. There are very few people who were adults and aware of events at that time who are still alive and aware of events in the current.
But hey Cyrus the Great raised hell all over the region. So yeah, that history tells us that Iran has to be controlled, right? I mean where do you draw the line in time? I guess wherever favorable to your argument. I don’t need to read up more and I got your number too.
Does that make righty Trump an America hater for praising Genocide Vladimir?
David,
“Hitler” has to catch up to Stalin first.
Fred,
Sure, of course. Now would you tell us if Trump is an American hater for praising Genocide Vladimir?
Stefan,
Trump is an America hater for not supporting Genocide Joe. Also an election denier, homophobe, transphobe, and whatever the new new thing is.
Fred, Me too – and then some. And I’m proud of it.
Now, can someone tell me why I should care what names some woke igits on the internet call me?
Sticks and stones…..
Thank goodness our elections are honest and auditable.
Yes, it’s a very fair system. If it’s like the one we use on occasion in England. Both sides get a fair chance to harvest the mail-in votes and the side that puts the most effort into it wins.
LOL “Both sides do it”
Biden is the most popular vote getter in American history. He’s the White Dude who supported Harris before it was cool.
Putin’s SVR along with Cuba’s security services are undoubtedly in Caracas now advising Maduro’s political police, the SEBIN. Overkill probably as Human Rights Watch says the SEBIN “has an extensive record of human rights violations, including recent allegations of torture and murder of political opponents.” Plus they’ve used excessive force to suppress demonstrators. Plus Maduro also has the Army, the National Guard, and the masked & armed paramilitary Colectivos to help suppress the protests.
But could it be different this time? I read this morning that many of the protestors this time are former supporters of Maduro, who have flipped because of bad economic conditions. I’m wondering if perhaps the cost of the war in Ukraine has made Putin stop or lessen loans to Venezuela or curtail investments there? Or supplies of essential goods to cover the basic needs of the Venezuelan people?
More questions:
Is Maduro pulling troops back from the border in the oil dispute with Guyana in order to beef up security in Caracas?
Is the National Guard loyal? Wasn’t there a barracks revolt by a Guard unit a few years ago? Was that an outlier or the start of something more.
Leith,
Our woke friends here tell us that Putin’s boys are a quantum leap better than the those form the evil USA. The Venezuelans are in good hands with Putin and China. Safe from the predations of the USA, the source of all evil in the world.
You’re almost with the program comrade, but for your unreasonable hang-up with Putin’s Russia being bad.
Some National Guardsmen are exchanging handshakes with protestors. It will take a lot more though.
https://x.com/RNacional_News/status/1818113383205396832
Ditto for the Policía.
https://x.com/vcdgf555/status/1818131624309182788
And Walrus’s warnings about “criminals in the resistance” appears to be happening in Venezuela.
https://x.com/UHN_Plus/status/1818468217980858875
Well, the eerie calm has gone away. There are pics from yesterday that show very, very large crowds are protesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKmpavJwgT8
Crowd size is meaningful. Massive crowds can not only intimidate the police, NG, et al, they can get them to change sides. “Interesting times”.
Eric Newhill
I don’t know why, but I tend to imagine you as the one riding the nuclear bomb towards Russia, as shown in the movie dr Strangelove, a picture of which Colonel Lang often posted in his texts.
Having mentioned Colonel Lang, it’s seems to me he was wrong regarding Venezuela. They pretty much bounced back from their poor economic situation, mostly caused by US sanctions. And now CIA can’t do nothing about it. You can blame Russia, China, the Martians, but seems like the critical mass of Venezuelans don’t want CIA democratic scenarios and prefer instead living in a socialist hell, nightmare, call it what you want.
Jovan P,
Venezuela did fairly well under Chavez and he was deservedly popular amongst Venezuelans. Later due to US sanctions and mismanagement from Caracas, the Venezuelan economy took a nosedive. Life there now sucks. That’s why so many Venezuelans had headed for our border.
Sure, the Chavistas are wonderful paramilitary people. We need something like them in the US. I mean the FBI and DHS are working on it, but faster please. As long as they aren’t rightwing nationalist kind of Chavistas. That would be bad. Only lefty paramilitary thugs are good.
TTG may allow me one weird observation. If so here goes.
This 2024 election is shaping up as a “recollection” of Harry S Truman, the only US president to use nuclear weapons. Why?
1- Harris … Harri s … Harri S
2- Trump … Trum .. p … Trum P … Trum an … Truman
So the phrase “Harris Trump” can be reparsed as:
Harri S Trum
Given that he (Truman) used nukes and that like Harris he was a Vice President before becoming President, it’s pretty darn scary. Harris Trump, that is. It very nearly spells Harry S Truman.
Thanks in advance TTG and kindly accept my apologies.
Human Rights watch = useful idiots.