Venezuelans in Caracas and across the world demonstrate to defend opposition’s victory claim
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelans across the world responded to a call from their country’s political opposition and took to the streets Saturday to defend the faction’s claim to victory over President Nicolás Maduro in last month’s disputed presidential election.
Demonstrations in Tokyo, Sidney, Mexico City and several other cities were part of the attempt by the main opposition coalition to make visible what they insist is the real outcome of the election.
They also called on governments to throw their support behind candidate Edmundo González and express support to Venezuelans who are fearful in their home country of speaking against Maduro and his allies during a brutal repression campaign.
As thousands of Venezuelans in Caracas waved the national flag, opposition leader MarÃa Corina Machado made her way through the capital’s streets on a truck while shouting “brave†and “freedom.†Then, before a crowd, she said it was the moment “that every vote is respected.â€
“Let the world and everyone in Venezuela recognize that the president-elect is Edmundo González,†she said to cheers.
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Earlier, González, the opposition candidate, wrote on his X account: “They will not be able to cover up the reality of July 28: we won resoundingly.†He didn’t take part in the demonstration in Caracas.
González, a former diplomat, and Machado — who was barred by the government from running — had been hiding, saying they fear they will be arrested or killed. Maduro and his cadres have threatened to lock up both of them.
At Mexico City’s Monument to the Revolution downtown, hundreds of people repeated the chant “Freedom! Freedom!†that dominated the opposition’s rallies ahead of the election. “Maduro out! Maduro out!†they shouted as passing motorists honked their horns.
“What is happening right now is that Venezuela woke up ... so much so that the government doesn’t dare to show the tally sheets,†Antonia Imbernon said, referring to the voting results documents that are considered the ultimate proof of results. “What are they afraid of?â€
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, whose members are loyal to the ruling party, declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 election hours after polls closed. Unlike previous presidential elections, the electoral body has not released the tally sheets’ detailed voting data to back up its claim that Maduro received 6.4 million votes while González, who represented the Unitary Platform opposition coalition, garnered 5.3 million.
González and Machado shocked Venezuelans when they revealed they obtained more than 80% of the vote tally sheets issued by every electronic voting machine after polls closed. The documents, they said, showed González winning by a wide margin and were uploaded to a website for anyone to see.
Machado urged supporters to print the tally sheet from their voting station and take it to Saturday’s demonstrations. In Mexico City, some held signs reproaching the decision by Mexico’s government to not participate in a Friday hearing of the Organization of American States focused on Venezuela’s election crisis.
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“Mexico, we missed you at the OEA,†a sign stated, using the initialism in Spanish for the regional body.
“The derision is worse this time because there is proof; anyone can see them,†said Janett Hurtado, 57, who left Venezuela two years ago, referring to the tally sheets.
Hurtado said she has noticed Venezuelans’ fear to speak against Maduro following arrests in the South American country in connection with election protests. She said she has friends who have not sent her a single text message since then.
Security forces have rounded up more than 2,000 people for demonstrating against Maduro or casting doubt on his claim he won a third term. An additional 24 have been killed, according to the Venezuela-based human rights group Provea.
The detentions — urged by Maduro himself — is unprecedented, and puts Venezuela on pace to easily exceed those jailed during three previous crackdowns against Maduro’s opponents.
Those arrested include journalists, political leaders, campaign staffers and an attorney defending protesters. Others have had their Venezuelan passports annulled trying to leave the country. One activist even livestreamed her arrest by military intelligence officers as they broke into her home with a crowbar.
“It pains us to see what’s happening,†said Hurtado’s daughter, Veronica Guedez, 19. “We are here to support us as brothers and sisters.â€
The opposition was dealt a blow Thursday when Brazil and Colombia — countries that had been pressuring Maduro to release vote tallies backing his claim to victory — began suggesting a repeat of the contest instead. But Machado rejected any plan to redo the election, saying it would be “an insult†to the people.
Associated Press writer Rueda reported from Caracas, Garcia Cano from Mexico City.
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