The anti-Chavez leader Maria Corina Machado called on the international community to hold Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responsible for “the repression unleashed” in the countryespecially after the elections of July 28, which the majority opposition considers fraudulent.
In X, Machado reiterated that the standard-bearer of the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – the largest opposition bloc -, Edmundo González Urrutia, “is the president-elect,” despite the fact that the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Maduro the winner, which was validated by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), both institutions controlled by people close to Chavismo.
In this regard, the former deputy said that the international community “must recognize” the “victory” of the opposition and “hold Maduro and his criminal regime responsible for the repression unleashed.”
According to official figures, more than 2,400 people have been arrested since July 29 – some in demonstrations and others in police operations – while 25 people died in acts of violence that the Government attributes to the oppositionwhile anti-Chavez supporters blame the state security forces, on orders from their superiors.
On the other hand, Machado, in her message on X, reiterated that “consolidating the democratic transition” in the Caribbean country is “the only way to stop” Venezuelan migration and for those who are abroad to “return home.”
Machado calls for marching on Wednesday
The opposition leader called on Venezuelans to “take to the streets” next Wednesday, August 28, one month after the disputed elections.
“Venezuelans find ourselves in the streets again. This August 28th; as a family, with your children, with your grandchildren and with your minutes in hand, we confirm that #ActaMataSentencia”, Machado posted on X, along with an image that reads “to the streets on the 28th”. The opposition claims victory for candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, by claiming to have copies of electoral minutes that prove Maduro’s defeat.
Last Monday, González Urrutia urged Maduro to “step aside and take the step now to begin a peaceful transition,” for which the anti-Chavez leader said he was willing to engage in political dialogue.
In his opinion, “Every day” that the authorities “hinder the democratic transition, Venezuelans suffer a country in crisis and without freedom”He reiterated that “clinging to power only exacerbates the suffering” of citizens.
In this regard, the former ambassador – summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office for next Monday for an investigation against him – said that “the people are tired of so much abuse and corruption,” and accused Maduro of being “responsible for so much poverty and pain.”
Petro and Lula insist on publication of minutes
The PUD bases González Urrutia’s “victory” on the “83.5% of the minutes” that it claims to have obtained through people who were witnesses and members of the table, while Chavismo insists that they are “false.”
After 27 days of the elections, the CNE has not yet published the disaggregated resultsas established by the regulations, despite numerous calls within and outside the country for the disclosure of this data.
The presidents of Brazil and Colombia, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Gustavo Petro, insisted this Saturday on the need to disseminate the electoral records “broken down by voting table”, following the endorsement of the electoral results by the Supreme Court of Venezuela, which they “took note of”.
“Both presidents remain convinced that the credibility of the electoral process can only be restored through the Transparent publication of disaggregated and verifiable data“said a joint statement from both countries.
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