Opposition candidate Edmundo González has announced that he has the proof to show he won Venezuela’s disputed election, with tally sheets showing him with more than double President Nicolás Maduro’s votes. Despite officially being declared the winner by the National Electoral Council, González and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado called for calm and invited supporters to celebrate the results peacefully. Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to protest Maduro’s victory, with some clashes with police reported.
The election results have been met with skepticism from foreign governments, including the U.S. and the EU, who have not yet recognized Maduro as the legitimate winner. The opposition’s faith in the ballot box, after failed attempts to oust Maduro through demonstrations, highlights the country’s desperate need for change as it grapples with a collapsing economy and widespread shortages of basic goods.
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, faces mounting criticism at home and abroad due to his policies that have led to hyperinflation and mass migration. The election results, announced on what would have been former President Hugo Chávez’s 70th birthday, have sparked further unrest and calls for Maduro to step down.
The lack of transparency in the voting process, with opposition representatives being blocked from witnessing the count, has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the results. The ongoing political crisis in Venezuela, exacerbated by international sanctions and economic collapse, has left the country in a state of turmoil with no clear path forward.
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