A stolen election in Venezuela has the world actually saying it. Even the U.S., which has backed Venezuela since Biden came to office.
For three days, the Biden administration has been pressing Venezuelan authorities to release the nationwide vote tallies to verify Nicolás Maduro’s victory. Now, the U.S. has taken a bolder stance, with the top U.S. diplomat for the region declaring that Maduro’s opponent secured an “overwhelming electoral victory.”
“With irrefutable evidence based on the actas, it’s evident Edmundo González Urrutia defeated Nicolás Maduro by millions of votes. This isn’t a projection,” stated Assistant Secretary of State Brian Nichols at the Organization of American States (OAS) on Wednesday evening.
Venezuela’s socialist dictator Maduro claims he won re-election. But leaked vote tallies show Maduro lost.
The saying goes, “you can vote your way into socialism … you may not be able to vote your way out.”
More: pic.twitter.com/MSO9VWscwL
— John Stossel (@JohnStossel) July 30, 2024
According to Venezuelan regulations, the national election authority (CNE) is required to publicly release the “actas” – the local precinct-level vote tallies – within three days. Wednesday passed without any release from Maduro’s government.
Instead, the opposition claims they have obtained over two-thirds of the tally sheets, showing González winning by a margin of 67% to 30%. Nichols contended that even if Maduro secured 100% of the remaining votes, he couldn’t surpass González. He shifted from urging the CNE to release the tallies to questioning their delay. “Why haven’t they? The answer seems clear: They know the true results show Edmundo González clearly won, and they don’t want to share that – or they need time to fabricate results to support their false claims,” Nichols said.
In an apparent bid to buy time, Maduro requested the Maduro-controlled high court to audit the presidential election on Wednesday. This move was his first concession to demands for transparency, even from his leftist allies in Mexico and Colombia. However, independent observers criticized any involvement by the high court.
Video from Venezuela not allowing certified poll watchers inside to verify vote tallies.
Just kidding it’s from Detroit in 2020. pic.twitter.com/pkimJZtmmW— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) July 29, 2024
On Thursday, Maduro threatened, “I won’t hesitate to call for a new revolution if forced by North American imperialism and fascist criminals.”
Maduro faces significant pressure to release the data, as allies in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia demand a transparent vote count. Colombian President Petro warned on X, “The serious doubts around the Venezuelan electoral process can lead to deep violent polarization with severe consequences of permanent division.”
“You have a government-appointed institution verifying election results, which is not an independent assessment,” noted Jennie Lincoln, who led the Carter Center’s election monitoring mission, to the AP.
Despite the mounting pressure, Maduro seems poised to weather the storm. Global attention is shifting elsewhere, towards the Middle East or the Olympics, while Russia, China, and Iran swiftly rally to his defense. At the OAS, he narrowly survived an attempt to increase pressure, with a resolution falling one vote short.
Demonstrators packed the streets of Caracas, cheering for Venezuela’s opposition, who said they had vote tallies to prove that President Nicolas Maduro had lost Sunday’s election in a landslide https://t.co/b58IWsBrX1 pic.twitter.com/UqmpVau34Q
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 31, 2024
Backed by sustained military support, Maduro may once again cling to power, prolonging the decline of what was once Latin America’s most advanced economy. This economic collapse has driven nearly eight million Venezuelans to flee abroad, creating the world’s largest refugee crisis and destabilizing countries throughout the region, including the U.S.
Key Points:
- Biden administration demands Venezuela release vote tallies to confirm Nicolás Maduro’s opponent won.
- Assistant Secretary of State Brian Nichols states Edmundo González Urrutia defeated Maduro by millions of votes.
- Venezuelan election authority (CNE) fails to release required local precinct vote tallies.
- Opposition claims tally sheets show González winning 67% to 30%, questioning the delay in official results.
- Maduro faces pressure from international allies for transparency but threatens a “new revolution” if challenged.
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
