Venezuelan Official Declares Maduro as President in Controversial Election
Leaders in the U.S. and Latin America are casting doubt on the legitimacy of the election results.
Venezuela’s electoral body has declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner of its national election, granting the socialist leader another six-year term despite the country’s struggles.
The National Electoral Council, loyal to Mr. Maduro’s ruling party, announced his victory on July 29 with over 51% of the vote, with the opposition candidate Edmundo González losing with 44.2%.
Both leaders have claimed victory, leading to election disputes and protests in Venezuela.
Mr. González, a replacement for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, called the government’s tallies fraudulent.
The National Electoral Council did not release polling booth tallies and faced delays amid opposition confidence in their victory.
The Biden administration expressed “serious concerns” and refused to recognize the election results in Venezuela.
“We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated.
Leaders across South America also questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process in Venezuela.
Russia and Cuba supported Mr. Maduro’s claim to victory, while other leaders expressed skepticism about the electoral process.
