CARACAS, Venezuela — In a recent statement, Venezuela’s foreign minister accused the opponents of President Nicolás Maduro of being involved in vandalism at the country’s diplomatic missions across five different nations. Yvan Gil specifically pointed to grassroots factions referred to as “comanditos,” or small commandos, as the orchestrators of these acts, although he did not provide any supporting evidence for his claims. This accusation comes shortly after Maduro was inaugurated for a third consecutive six-year term, amid widespread allegations of his electoral defeat.
Gil called on the governments of Portugal, Germany, Spain, Colombia, and Costa Rica to swiftly investigate the incidents in order to identify those responsible and protect the integrity of Venezuelan diplomatic properties. He did not specify the exact timing of the alleged vandalism, which has raised eyebrows.
The main coalition opposing the government has yet to respond to Gil’s allegations. Meanwhile, law enforcement in Lisbon, Portugal, is looking into an attack that took place over the weekend involving a small incendiary device, which resulted in minor damage to the Venezuelan consulate there. The Portuguese Foreign Ministry labeled the attack as “intolerable” and announced measures to bolster security in the neighborhood.
Venezuela hosts a large population of immigrants from Portugal, second only to Brazil, with official estimates indicating around 200,000 Portuguese nationals registered in the country. This figure excludes those who are descendants born in Venezuela.
On the same day, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry published images of the alleged vandalism, including one that depicted a Venezuelan flag defaced with the name “Edmundo,” referring to the opposition candidate acknowledged by multiple governments as the legitimate victor of Venezuela’s recent presidential ballot.
Following the closure of polling stations, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, which is comprised largely of Maduro loyalists, announced him as the winner. Unlike past elections, however, no detailed vote counts were released to substantiate the declared results. In contrast, the opposition gathered and shared tally sheets from approximately 85% of the electronic voting machines online, revealing that their candidate, Edmundo González, had allegedly secured victory by a margin exceeding two-to-one. Observers from the United Nations and the Carter Center, who were invited by the Maduro regime to oversee the election, affirmed the legitimacy of the figures published by the opposition.
The “comanditos” groups were established by supporters of the leading opposition coalition to galvanize voter engagement and coordinate various initiatives during the July presidential election.
