- Violent protests against election results in Venezuela
In crisis-stricken Venezuela, protests have erupted following the controversial presidential election, with intense clashes occurring between demonstrators and security forces. Television footage showed police using tear gas and, in some instances, striking people. Shots were also fired at protesters marching towards the presidential palace in the capital, Caracas, as reported by the newspaper "El Nacional" and shown in a video.
The shooters could be colectivos, government-linked paramilitary groups that enforce the government's agenda through violence. The video showed police not intervening to prevent the attack on the protesters.
In Caracas and other cities across the country, people took to the streets to protest the official election results and the alleged victory of President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power since 2013. They banged pots and pans together to express their discontent, a form of protest known as "cacerolazo" that is popular in Latin America. Many of the protesters chanted "Freedom!" and "Fraud!"
The National Electoral Council officially declared Maduro the winner. The leftist president would 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 did not recognize the official results and claimed victory for their candidate, González. They accused the government of election 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. However, independent experts had already anticipated that the election would not be free or fair before the vote took place.
The following election results, declaring Maduro the winner, were met with widespread dissent by the opposition and international communities. The following protests, demanding fairness and the recognition of González as the victor, have been ongoing in Caracas and various cities across Venezuela.
