Thousands of Venezuelans around the world have taken to the streets to defend the victory of the largest opposition coalition in last month’s disputed presidential elections.
From Tokyo to Sydney to Mexico City, Venezuelan expatriates around the world have responded to a call from the political opposition of their country and have taken to the streets to defend the affirmation of victory against President Nicolás Maduro in the controversial presidential elections last month, and to make visible what they insist is the real result of the elections.
The protesters also asked government authorities to support the candidate Edmundo González and express your support for Venezuelans in their country who are afraid to speak out against Maduro and his allies in the midst of a brutal campaign of repression.
While thousands of Venezuelans waved the national flag, the opposition leader Maria Corina Machado He made his way through the streets of Caracas aboard a truck shouting “brave” and “freedom.” Then, before a crowd, he said it was time “for every vote to be respected.”
“May the world and everyone in Venezuela recognize that the elected president is Edmundo González,” she said while being applauded by thousands of supporters who cheered her.
Previously, González, the opposition candidate, had written on his X account: “They will not be able to cover up the reality of July 28: we won resoundingly.” and then shared some emotional images of the protests in Madrid. He did not attend the demonstration in Caracas.
At the Monument to the Revolution of the Mexico Cityin the center of the city, hundreds of young people and adults loudly repeated the chants of “Freedom! Freedom!” who dominated opposition rallies before the elections. “Maduro out! “Maduro out!” they shouted. then as passing motorists honked their horns.
“What is happening now is that Venezuela woke up… so much so that the Government does not dare to show the minutes”said Antonia Imbernon, referring to the documents with the voting results that are considered the definitive proof of the results. “What are you afraid of?”
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, whose members are loyal to the ruling party, declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 election hours after polls closed. Unlike previous presidential elections, the electoral body has not published detailed data on the voting records to back up his claim that Maduro got 6.4 million votes while González, who represented the opposition Unitarian Platform coalition, got 5.3 million.
But González and opposition leader María Corina Machado surprised Venezuelans when they revealed that they obtained more than 80% of the tally sheets issued by each electronic voting machine after the closing of the polls. The documents, they said, showed Gonzalez won by a wide margin and were posted on a website for anyone to see.
Machado urged his followers to print the minutes from your voting center and take them to the demonstrations on Saturday.
The opposition has constantly expressed the need for help from the international community to get Maduro to accept the unfavorable results of the elections.
“This time there is evidence”
“The ridicule is worse this time because there is evidence, anyone can see it,” said Janett Hurtado, 57, who left Venezuela two years ago, referring to the minutes. “(The Maduro Government) he took away other elections from us again”.
Hurtado said that he has noticed the fear of Venezuelans to speak against Maduro after the arrests widespread throughout the South American country in relation to the protests unleashed by the election results. He said he has friends who haven’t texted him since.
Security forces have detained more than 2,000 people for speaking out against Maduro or for casting doubt on his claim that he won a third term despite strong evidence that he lost the vote by a margin of more than 2 to 1. At least 24 other people have been killed, according to the group human rights organization Provea, based in Venezuela.
The wave of arrests, promoted by Maduro himself, is unprecedented and puts Venezuela on track to easily surpass those imprisoned during the three previous crackdowns on Maduro’s opponents.
Among those arrested are journalists, political leaders, campaign staff members and an attorney who defends the protesters. Others had their Venezuelan passports canceled when trying to leave the country.
“It hurts us to see what is happening,” said Hurtado’s daughter, Verónica Guedez, 19. “We are here to support each other as brothers and sisters.”
The opposition was dealt a severe blow on Thursday when Brazil and Colombia —countries that had been pressuring Maduro to release election results supporting his victory—began to suggest that the elections be repeated. But Machado categorically rejected any plan to repeat the elections and said it would be “an insult” to the people.
Additional sources • Lucía Blasco (voice-over)
