The Venezuelan political crisis has escalated as opposition leader Maria Corina Machado accused President Nicolas Maduro of consolidating power with military support following the disputed July 28 election. Machado claims opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won by a significant margin, but the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the victor. The CNE has not published detailed results, and its website has been inaccessible since July 29.Machado has called for global protests on August 17 to demand recognition of the opposition’s claimed victory. ‘The Venezuelan people, both inside and outside the country, must demonstrate on Saturday to demand that Maduro respect the election results,’ Machado stated. She claims representatives from ‘100 cities’ worldwide have confirmed they will join the peaceful demonstration.The situation remains volatile, with reports of widespread arrests and violence. Human rights groups report over 2,400 arrests in a post-election crackdown. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed concern over detentions and the use of ‘hate’ or ‘antiterrorist’ legislation against protesters.International pressure is mounting, with several countries condemning Maduro’s actions as fraudulent. The US, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and Uruguay have recognized González as the new president of Venezuela. However, some Western countries are taking a cautious approach, with the US delaying new sanctions and seeking to coordinate a response with regional partners.As the crisis deepens, there are calls for a negotiated transition. Machado stated, ‘Maduro miscalculated his options and it’s necessary to pressure him to understand that his best option is to accept the terms of a negotiated transition’. However, she has ruled out a power-sharing agreement with the ruling party.
Key points
- Maria Corina Machado accuses Maduro of consolidating power with military support after disputed election.
- Opposition calls for global protests on August 17 to demand recognition of their claimed victory.
- Over 2,400 arrests reported in post-election crackdown, raising human rights concerns.
- Several countries have recognized González as the new president, while some Western nations take a cautious approach.
Contradictions👾While some sources report that the US and other Western countries are taking a cautious approach, others state that the US has recognized Edmundo González as the new president of Venezuela.