Venezuela’s political crisis has deepened as the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) officially validated President Nicolás Maduro’s victory in the July 28 presidential election, despite widespread allegations of fraud and international criticism. TSJ President Caryslia Rodríguez announced that the court had thoroughly reviewed the electoral material and found no irregularities, confirming Maduro’s win with 51.95% of the vote.The opposition, led by Edmundo González Urrutia, vehemently rejected the ruling, claiming they have evidence of winning with 67% of the vote. González Urrutia stated, ‘No sentence will replace popular sovereignty. The country and the world know their partiality and, therefore, their inability to resolve the conflict; their decision will only exacerbate the crisis’.The decision has been met with skepticism both domestically and internationally. The United Nations Human Rights Council has questioned the impartiality of both the TSJ and the National Electoral Council (CNE). Marta Valinas, chair of the UN fact-finding panel, stated, ‘The Government exerted undue influence over TSJ decisions’.Several Latin American leaders have also condemned the court’s decision. Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared that ‘the Maduro regime has completed the fraud,’ while Uruguay’s foreign minister, Omar Paganini, stated that the decision ‘is not credible in any way’.The controversy has led to protests resulting in at least 23 deaths and approximately 2,400 arrests since the election. As tensions continue to rise, the international community remains divided on how to address the ongoing crisis in Venezuela.
Key points
- Venezuelan Supreme Court validated Maduro’s election victory, claiming no irregularities were found.
- Opposition, led by Edmundo González Urrutia, rejected the ruling and claims to have evidence of winning with 67% of the vote.
- United Nations and several Latin American countries have questioned the impartiality of Venezuela’s judicial and electoral institutions.
- Protests following the election have resulted in at least 23 deaths and approximately 2,400 arrests.
Contradictions👾The Supreme Court claims Maduro won with 51.
95% of the vote, while the opposition asserts González Urrutia won with 67%.
👾The TSJ states it conducted a thorough and impartial review, but the UN and international observers question the court’s independence.
