- Protests against the outcome of the presidential election in Venezuela
After the controversial presidential election in the crisis-stricken country of Venezuela, numerous people in the capital Caracas and other cities took to the streets to protest the official results. They banged pots and pans together, as reported by the newspaper "El Nacional" and shown in several videos on social media. This form of protest, known as a "cacerolazo," is popular throughout Latin America.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared incumbent Maduro the official winner, allowing the leftist leader to begin his third six-year term in January 2025. According to official figures, Maduro received 51.2% of the votes, while opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia received 44.2%.
The opposition refused to accept the official results and claimed victory for their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, accusing the government of electoral fraud. The U.S. government and several Latin American countries also expressed doubts about the official election results. Before the Sunday election, several polls had predicted an opposition victory, but observers had already cast doubt on the likelihood of a free and fair election.
The opposition leaders called for a nationwide protest on the following Sunday, urging citizens to demonstrate against the alleged electoral fraud. Despite the threat of government retaliation, a large crowd gathered in Caracas and other cities, demanding a new election.
