Jurist Venezuela president and opposition claim victory in presidential election

[Dadparvar]

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González both claimed on Monday that they won the Venezuelan presidential elections. González’s opposition coalition accused the Venezuelan government of electoral fraud, alleging that González obtained over 73 percent of votes.

The US expressed doubts about the integrity of the process. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was concerned about whether the announced results of the Venezuelan election corresponded to the votes of Venezuelans. He also said that votes should be counted fairly and transparently. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also highlighted the importance of respecting the wills of Venezuelans and ensuring that the electoral process is transparent.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed concerns over the credibility of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) before the elections. HRW pointed out that six CNE members resigned without clear reasons on June 15, 2023, and Venezuela’s National Assembly took initial steps to compose a new CNE with a substantial number of members of the ruling party. HRW wrote:

The irregular nature of the resignation of the principal members of the CNE and its immediate acceptance by the National Assembly is alarming. While the Electoral Law in Venezuela allows CNE members to resign, the almost simultaneous departure of most members raises concerns about political pressure [] and amounts to the effective dismantling of what should be an autonomous institution. These actions undermine the trust of Venezuelan citizens in their institutions and erode confidence in the electoral process itself. An impartial and fully functioning CNE is fundamental to ensure the legitimacy of the forthcoming elections.

Relatedly, on July 25, HRW called on Latin America, the US and Europe to take action to protect the right to vote in Venezuela before the country’s presidential election. Juanita Goebertus, Americas Director at HRW, said that “[w]hilst the election in Venezuela will hardly be free or fair, Venezuelans have their best chance in over a decade to elect their government, and the international community should have their back as they do”.

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