Maduro officially declared winner of Venezuela election - international doubts
The population of the country has re-elected Maduro as president by a majority for the period from 2025 to 2031, according to the head of the national electoral commission, Elvis Amoroso. Previously, the commission had declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the votes counted from 80% of the polling stations. The leading opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, reportedly received 44.2%.
However, the opposition also claimed victory. Opposition leader María Corina Machado told journalists that the country had "a new designated president," namely González Urrutia, who had received 70% of the votes, not 44%. She described the result announced by the electoral commission as "another fraud."
In response to the fraud allegations, Maduro accused the opposition of attempting a "coup d'état." "An attempt is being made to carry out a fascist and counter-revolutionary coup in Venezuela," he said during the official announcement of his re-election by the electoral commission. Shortly after the first election results were announced, the incumbent spoke to his supporters outside the presidential palace in Caracas and promised "peace, stability, and justice."
Criticism and doubts about the election results were also raised internationally. "We have taken note of the announcements by the electoral authorities and the concerns expressed by political actors and members of the international community," said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Guterres. The Secretary-General called for "full transparency" and for the election results to be published by polling station. The EU's High Representative, Josep Borrell, expressed similar sentiments.
In a joint statement, the Latin American countries of Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay called for a "full review of the results in the presence of independent election observers." Panama also announced that it would withdraw its diplomats from Venezuela.
The German Foreign Office stated on its English-language X-account that the "announced election results do not dispel doubts about the vote count in Venezuela." The ministry also called for the publication of detailed results for all polling stations and access to all voting and election materials for the opposition and observers. The US and UK also expressed doubts.
However, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed his intention to recognize the result in Venezuela. Maduro's allies, Russia, China, and Cuba, as well as Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Honduras, also congratulated him.
On election day, disappointment and anger spread among the Venezuelan population. "They stole the election," said 46-year-old Angelika Daron to the news agency AFP. Giovanni Inglese, 65, said he was convinced that the result had been "manipulated."
President Maduro had sought a third six-year term in Sunday's election. The 61-year-old self-proclaimed Marxist is unpopular among many voters due to the country's economic crisis. His power base in Venezuela relies on the military and police. Before the election, the president had repeatedly stated that he would not relinquish power in the event of defeat. He had threatened, among other things, a "bloodbath" in the event of a loss about two weeks ago.
Maduro's election in 2018 was not recognized by most Western countries, leading to sanctions against Venezuela. The president is accused of suppressing the opposition in the country.
Many Venezuelans hold Maduro responsible for the economic crisis and hyperinflation in the oil-rich country. Venezuela's GDP has shrunk by 80 percent over the past decade. Approximately one in four Venezuelans has fled the economic and political crisis abroad.
Despite the electoral commission announcing Maduro as the winner with a majority, opposition leader María Corina Machado expressed doubts, claiming González Urrutia received 70% of the votes. The international community also raised concerns about the election results, with the German Foreign Office stating that the announced results do not dispel doubts about the vote count in Venezuela.
