Politics Pressure on Maduro grows - USA recognizes rival as winner

The USA does not recognize the official re-election of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won the election last Sunday, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement. The United States is thus increasing international pressure on the authoritarian ruling socialist Maduro. He announced a crackdown following demonstrations.

After the election, the electoral authority loyal to the government declared President Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner. However, it has not yet published a breakdown of the results for the individual constituencies.

The opposition is accusing the government of electoral fraud and is claiming victory for González. As evidence, it has published data which it claims are the results from more than 80 percent of the constituencies. According to the data, González received 67% of the votes and Maduro only 30%.

"No forgiveness"

According to the non-governmental organization Foro Penal, at least eleven people were killed in the protests against the election results. In the meantime, 1,200 "criminals" have been arrested, Maduro said in a speech to supporters on the balcony of the presidential palace on Thursday, as seen on state television. 1000 more would follow. These were rioters who had been trained in the USA, Colombia, Chile and Peru as part of a coup attempt against him. Two high-security prisons would soon be ready for them. "There will be no forgiveness," Maduro said in another speech to business leaders.

On Wednesday, Maduro had said that González and opposition leader María Corina Machado also belonged in prison. Machado wrote in an article for the US newspaper "Wall Street Journal" that she was in hiding and feared for her freedom and her life. In a video distributed via social media, she called for nationwide demonstrations on Saturday in which entire families should take part.

Machado had not been able to stand for election herself because she was banned from holding public office for 15 years due to alleged irregularities from her time as a member of parliament. The opposition saw this as deliberate harassment before the election.

The independent US organization Carter Center, which had sent election observers to Venezuela, described the entire vote as undemocratic. Maduro requested an investigation into the election by the Supreme Court, which is, however, considered to be loyal to the government. The electoral chamber of the court summoned all ten candidates to a hearing on Friday.

International pressure

"In light of the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and especially to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia received the most votes in Venezuela's presidential election on July 28," said US Secretary of State Blinken. He added that it was now time for the parties in the South American country to begin talks on a "peaceful transition".

The foreign ministers of the G7 industrialized nations had called on Venezuela's authorities to publish the detailed results. The left-leaning heads of state of three major Latin American countries - Brazil, Mexico and Colombia - did the same in a joint statement.

Maduro's re-election in 2018 had already not been recognized by many countries. Juan Guaidó, then president of parliament, declared himself interim president. The USA, Germany and other countries recognized him, but he was unable to assert himself in the country - mainly because the military backed Maduro.

SDA