Foreign ministers from Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay echoed a call for transparency, stressing that an open count is essential to ensure the legitimacy of the election results in Venezuela on Sunday, 28 July 2024. In Europe, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno demanded data from all polling stations and called for calm, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell emphasized that access to voting records is “vital.”
In the Dominican Republic, local media has covered the participation of former President Leonel Fernandez as part of international observers the Maduro government allowed to watch over the Venezuelan elections. Fernandez spoke of his satisfaction in the peaceful outcome of the election.
In Venezuela, Maduro accused nine countries in the Americas of election interference. The Venezuelan government on Sunday denounced there is a coordinated effort by nine Latin American countries to undermine its presidential election. In a strongly worded statement, Caracas accused these nations, along with a group of right-wing politicians, of “intervening” in its domestic affairs. The statement named Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic as the countries involved. It warned of a ‘foreign operation’ against Venezuela’s ‘right to self-determination and sovereignty.'”
Despite international calls for scrutiny, the reportedly re-elected President Nicolas Maduro dismissed the criticism, presenting Venezuela’s electoral system—controlled by his loyalists—as more legitimate than those in other countries. He promised “peace and security” to his supporters and received congratulatory messages from allies, including Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Honduran President Xiomara Castro, and Bolivian President Luis Arce.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro secured re-election in a closely watched contest, according to the country’s electoral authority. The National Electoral Council announced early Monday, 29 July 2024 that Maduro had won with 51.2% of the vote, narrowly defeating opposition candidate Edmundo González, who received 44%. However, the results, released six hours after polls closed, lacked details from individual polling centers, sparking widespread skepticism.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado disputed the official count, claiming González actually won with 70% of the vote. In response, many governments across the Americas and Europe have called for transparency and a thorough review of the vote tally.
VOA News reported that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has voiced serious concerns about the election results, suggesting they may not reflect the true will of Venezuelan voters. Similarly, Chilean President Gabriel Boric described the results as “difficult to believe” and urged for an independent international review.
Maduro, now entering his second term, faced a significant challenge in this election. González, a retired diplomat, was introduced into the campaign only after Venezuela’s Supreme Court barred Machado from running. The election’s controversial results continue to provoke debate and demand for a transparent recount.
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Ministry of Foreign Relations
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Listin Diario
Listin Diario
El Dia
29 July 2024