Protests erupted across Venezuela on Tuesday as demonstrators demanded that President Nicolás Maduro concede defeat in Sunday’s election.
The unrest followed a declaration by the South American country’s electoral authority that Maduro won a third term with 51% of the vote, extending his socialist rule.
The opposition, which views the election body as biased, alleges that their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, actually secured more than twice the votes of Maduro, based on 90% of the available vote tallies. The U.S.-based Carter Center condemned the election as undemocratic, citing serious breaches in the voting process and the electoral authority’s failure to publish disaggregated results.
Protests began on Monday and have resulted in at least 11 deaths, according to rights group Foro Penal. The government, which labeled the protests as an attempted “coup,” has accused Gonzalez and opposition leader María Corina Machado of inciting violence.
Maduro, in a televised address, demanded accountability from Gonzalez and Machado, calling them “cowards” and urging their arrest. Jorge Rodriguez, head of the ruling socialist Congress, echoed this demand, labeling Gonzalez a leader of a “fascist conspiracy.”
International reactions have included calls for Venezuela to release the vote tally, with the U.S. considering new sanctions if transparency is not improved. Costa Rica has offered political asylum to Machado and Gonzalez, though Machado stated her priority remains continuing the fight from within Venezuela.
Maduro has called for additional marches in support of his government and blamed alleged attacks on the electoral authority’s systems on billionaire Elon Musk, though no evidence has been provided. His defense minister, General Vladimir Padrino, declared the situation a “coup in progress,” while asserting the military’s commitment to support the government.
The protests have affected various sectors, with many stores closed and clashes reported between demonstrators and security forces. In Valencia, protesters sprayed “fraud” on roads, and in Coro, a statue of Hugo Chávez was torn down.
The opposition, barred from running their own candidate, continues to denounce the election process, citing various obstacles and irregularities. Despite previous failed attempts to dislodge Maduro through protests and sanctions, the current unrest signals a deepening crisis and potential for further unrest.
As Venezuela faces increased internal strife and possible migration spikes, many citizens are left contemplating their future. Jorge Salcedo, a 23-year-old graduate, expressed despair, stating, “It feels like I no longer have anything to do here in Venezuela. We’ll start from scratch in another country. We live in a country with repression, and we live in a country under dictatorship. It was our last chance.”
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