International community demands transparency and vote recount in Venezuelan elections

Countries around the world expressed doubts on Monday about the transparency of Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuelawhere the electoral authority declared the winner Nicolas Maduro; and only a few partners expressed their unlimited support for the president re-elected for a third term.

In 2018, the successor of the late Hugo Chávez (1999-2013) strolled through the polls in a presidential election that his opponents boycotted. He was 47 percentage points ahead of the second-placed candidate, Henri Falcón, a candidate of a fractured opposition.

But on Sunday, the opposition came together for the elections. Polls showed the candidate as the favourite. Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutiaan “outsider” chosen by the charismatic and popular opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was prevented from running due to political disqualification.

Even so, Maduro was seven points ahead of Gonzalez, according to 80% of the votes counted, made public on Sunday by the electoral authority, controlled by Chavez, an announcement that unleashed a tidal wave.

• USA

The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinkenexpressed “serious concern” that the announced electoral result in Venezuela does not reflect the will of the people, and called for a “fair and transparent” recount of the votes.

“Now that voting has concluded, it is vitally important that every vote is counted fairly and transparently. We call on the electoral authorities to publish detailed vote counts (actas) to ensure transparency and accountability.“, he said.

• Colombia

Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo on Monday called for a “full recount of the votes, their verification and independent audit” to “clear up any doubts about the results.”

• European Union

The head of diplomacy of the European UnionJosep Borrell, asked Venezuela on Monday to guarantee “total transparency in the electoral process, including detailed counting of votes and access to voting records at polling stations.”

• Spain

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Monday called on Venezuela to ensure “total transparency” in the counting of votes, the “publication of the minutes table by table” and to “maintain calm and civility.”

• Argentina

“DICTATOR MADURO, OUT!!!”, wrote the Argentine president, Javier Mileion his X account before official results were released.

“The data announce a crushing victory for the opposition and the world is waiting for it to recognize defeat after years of socialism, misery, decadence and death,” he added. “Argentina will not recognize another fraud and expects the Armed Forces to defend democracy and the popular will this time.”

• Chili

The Chilean president, Gabriel Boricsaid that the announced results are “hard to believe” and demanded “total transparency of the minutes and the process, and that international observers not beholden to the government account for the veracity of the results.”

“Chile will not recognize any result that is not verifiable,” he added.

• Peru

Peruvian Foreign Minister J.Avier Gonzalez-Olaechea, He announced in X that he will call the Peruvian ambassador to Venezuela for consultation “in light of the very serious official announcements by the Venezuelan electoral authorities.”

• Costa Rica

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves categorically repudiated “the proclamation of Nicolás Maduro as president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which we consider fraudulent,” in a message posted on X.

• Uruguay

For the Uruguayan president, Luis Lacalle Pou, “you cannot recognize a victory if you do not trust the way and the mechanisms used to achieve it.”

“It was an open secret. They were going to ‘win’ regardless of the actual results. The process up to the day of the election and the counting of votes was clearly flawed,” he added on his X account.

• Guatemala

“Venezuela deserves transparent, accurate results that are in line with the will of its people,” wrote the president of Guatemala, social democrat Bernardo Arévalo, in X, who also said he had received “the results with many doubts.”

• Italy

“I have many doubts about the regular conduct of the elections in Venezuela,” wrote Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on the X network, demanding “results that can be verified.”

• China, Russia and Cuba

Governments close to Maduro’s also spoke out without fail, under whose rule Venezuela sank into an acute economic and humanitarian crisis that forced more than seven million people to flee, according to the UN.

• China

China, which has close ties with Venezuela, congratulated Nicolas Maduro on Monday on his re-election and said it is “willing to enrich the strategic partnership” with the Latin American country, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

• Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country is a traditional ally of Venezuela, also congratulated Maduro and said that relations between the two countries “constitute a strategic partnership” and that he hopes that these will develop “in all areas.”

• Cuba

“Today the dignity and courage of the Venezuelan people triumphed over pressure and manipulation,” celebrated Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel in X.

• Nicaragua

To Maduro, “our Tribute and Greeting, in Honor, Glory and for More Victories,” said Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega, sending him “our embrace as always.”

• Bolivia

Bolivian President Luis Arce welcomed the fact that “the will of the Venezuelan people has been respected at the polls,” while reaffirming his “will to continue strengthening our ties of friendship.”

• Honduras

Honduran President Xiomara Castro congratulated Maduro for “his unquestionable victory, which reaffirms his sovereignty and the historical legacy of Commander @chavezcandanga,” the late Hugo Chávez, who anointed him as his successor.