In Venezuela, the aftermath of the presidential election on Sunday has led to a political deadlock with both incumbent President Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González claiming victory. Maduro’s camp considers the election settled, citing 51% of the vote in his favor, while González’s team disputes the results provided by the National Electoral Council. The electoral body promised to release detailed vote counts from the 30,000 voting machines used in the election, but as of Monday, these tallies were not yet available, hindering the ability to verify the accuracy of the results.
Venezuelans vote using electronic machines that generate a paper receipt for each voter showing their chosen candidate. These receipts are deposited in ballot boxes. However, the ruling party maintains tight control over the voting process through an electoral council and local party coordinators who restrict access to opposition representatives at polling centers. Opposition leader María Corina Machado claimed González’s victory based on partial voting tallies from 40% of ballot boxes nationwide, but official confirmation from the National Electoral Council was still pending due to delays in releasing the complete tallies.
Around 9 million people voted in the election out of an estimated 17 million eligible voters. Long lines were reported at polling centers across the country, with voters expressing discontent over the crisis-ridden economy that has forced many to leave the country in search of basic necessities. Last year, there were hopes for a fair election when Maduro’s government agreed to work with the opposition coalition, but subsequent actions such as arrests of opposition members raised concerns about the election’s fairness.
Despite urging calm and non-violence from the opposition, protests erupted in response to Maduro’s claim of victory. Thousands took to the streets near Caracas, denouncing the government and tearing down campaign posters. The opposition has not outlined specific steps in response to their claim of victory but plans to provide updates to supporters. The situation remains tense as both sides stand firm in their positions, awaiting further developments in the post-election crisis.
