Venezuelans Protest & Clash with Police After Disputed Election Result

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In the wake of Venezuela's recent presidential election, chaos has erupted in the streets of Caracas. Security forces resorted to using tear gas and rubber bullets to control the thousands of protesters who descended upon the city following the disputed election results announced on Sunday. President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory, a result heavily contested by the opposition.

 

 

On Monday evening, central Caracas became a battleground as protesters, some having walked miles from the surrounding slums, converged near the presidential palace. The opposition alleges that their candidate, Edmundo González, secured a convincing victory with 73.2% of the vote. Polls leading up to the election had indicated a clear win for González, who had the backing of united opposition parties eager to unseat Maduro after 11 years in power amidst a severe economic crisis.

 

 

Despite calls from Western and Latin American countries, as well as international bodies like the UN, for the Venezuelan authorities to release voting records from individual polling stations, the government has maintained its stance. The streets of Caracas saw a heavy military and police presence, including water cannons, aimed at dispersing the protesters and preventing them from nearing the presidential palace. Chants of “Freedom, freedom!” filled the air as demonstrators demanded the government's fall. Footage showed burning tires on highways and large crowds clashing with police on motorbikes who fired tear gas.

 

 

In various parts of the city, posters of President Maduro were torn down and set ablaze, along with tires, cars, and other debris. Armed police, military, and left-wing paramilitaries loyal to the government clashed with protesters, blocking many roads leading to the city center. The BBC reported from La Lucha, a densely-populated area, where people expressed their frustration and anger.

 

 

Paola Sarzalejo, 41, decried the election as “terrible, fraud.” She stated, “We won with 70%, but they did the same thing to us again. They took the elections from us again. We want a better future for our youth, for our country." Her father, Miguel, 64, echoed her sentiments, saying, “He lost the elections, he has no right to be there right now.” He lamented the potential exodus of the younger generation, saying, “If the youth all leave, only old people will be left in Venezuela, only senior citizens.”

 

 

Cristobal Martinez, draped in a Venezuelan flag, described the election as a “fraud.” He noted the importance of the election for young people, many of whom are unemployed and not in education. Martinez shared that it was his first time voting and witnessed significant mobilization against the government. “There was a lot of discontent towards the government. The majority of people were participating for change,” he said. He criticized the lack of progress under Maduro’s long tenure, saying it had been “worse since President Chavez died.” Martinez also criticized older government supporters who relied on bonuses or food handouts, calling for “decent jobs, a good future for our country.”

 

Maduro, on the other hand, accused the opposition of attempting a coup by disputing the results. “This is not the first time we are facing what we are facing today,” he stated, denouncing the opposition’s actions as fascist and counter-revolutionary. The Venezuelan attorney general warned that any roadblocks or legal disturbances during protests would be met with the full force of the law, with 32 people already detained for various offenses, including destroying electoral materials and inciting violence.

 

In response to the election results, US senior administration officials expressed concern, noting that the results did not align with data from quick count mechanisms and other sources. They called on Venezuelan electoral authorities to release the underlying data supporting their announced numbers. However, the US has not yet made a definitive statement regarding its sanctions policy towards Venezuela, acknowledging that Maduro did conduct an election and allowed an opposition candidate, despite banning the opposition leader from running.

 

The Organization of American States (OAS) announced it would hold a meeting of its permanent council on Wednesday to address the Venezuelan election results, reflecting the international community's growing concern over the legitimacy and transparency of the electoral process in Venezuela.

 

Credit: BBC  2024-07-30

 

 

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[Tug]

Now there’s an election thats questionable that’s for sure…..to bad with a decent government they could thrive.

[novacova]

The leftist thievery is no different in Venezuela than anywhere else, see the resemblance of this Venezuelan voting poll…

Edited July 30 by novacova