Venezuelans from countries worldwide answered a call from their political opposition, taking to the streets in demonstrations to support the opposition’s claim of victory in the recent disputed presidential election against President Nicolás Maduro. Protests in various cities like Tokyo, Sydney, and Mexico City aimed to bring attention to what the opposition believes is the true election result. They also urged governments to back candidate Edmundo González and show solidarity with Venezuelans silenced by fear under Maduro’s regime.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado, amidst a crowd in Caracas, emphasized the importance of respecting every vote and declared González as the rightful president-elect. González, on social media, asserted their resounding victory on July 28. Despite his absence at the Caracas demonstration, supporters around the world echoed calls for freedom and change, demanding Maduro’s departure.
In Mexico City, at the Monument to the Revolution, a mix of individuals passionately chanted for freedom, calling for Maduro to step down. Concerns were raised about the lack of transparency in the electoral process, with opposition figures revealing discrepancies in the official results. The opposition encouraged supporters to bring voting tally sheets to the protests as proof of González’s win.
The National Electoral Council, aligned with Maduro’s party, promptly declared him the winner following the election, without releasing detailed voting data. González and Machado released documents showing a significant lead for González, based on their collection of voting tally sheets. Despite international pressure and calls for a new election from countries like Brazil and Colombia, Machado rejected the idea, standing firm on the belief in the initial election result and the support from the people.
The crackdown on dissenters in Venezuela has resulted in over 2,000 arrests and 24 deaths, according to human rights groups. The opposition’s pleas for international support to hold Maduro accountable for the election outcome continue, as Venezuelans both at home and abroad express concern for their country’s future under the current leadership.
