According to the National Electoral Council (CNE), the incumbent received 51.2 percent of the vote. His main challenger, former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia from the opposition alliance Plataforma Unitaria Democrática, received 44.2 percent. The opposition did not recognize Maduro’s election victory and declared González president.
“We won and the whole world knows it,” said opposition leader María Corina Machado. Several polls had predicted a victory for the opposition candidate. Edison Research, a research institute known for its polls on US elections, predicted in a post-election poll that González would receive 65 percent of the vote, while Maduro would only get 31 percent. The domestic institute Meganalisis predicted 65 percent for Gonzalez and only 14 percent for Maduro. Even before the vote, observers did not expect the election to be free and fair. Recently, numerous opposition members were arrested and candidates critical of the government were not allowed to stand in the election.
Reports: 300 political prisoners
The non-governmental organization Foro Penal reported that there were more than 300 political prisoners. The popular opposition leader Machado was banned from holding public office for 15 years because of alleged irregularities during her time as a member of parliament. González, who was largely unknown until recently, eventually took her place in the presidential election. The EU was not represented by observers at the vote because the Venezuelan electoral authority had revoked an invitation due to existing personal sanctions against representatives of the National Electoral Council. According to the Panamanian authorities, four Latin American ex-presidents were prevented from traveling to observe the election on Friday. The United Nations has sent some election experts, but their roles are limited because the body does not make public statements assessing the election process.
Meanwhile, Maduro appeared before cheering supporters in the presidential palace. The 61-year-old described his re-election as a triumph of peace and stability. Venezuela’s electoral system is transparent. He will sign a decree on Monday to hold a “great national dialogue,” Maduro added. Last week he warned of a “bloodbath” if he lost. Russian President Vladimir Putin stood behind Maduro and congratulated him on his re-election. Internationally, however, the election is causing widespread concern.
USA: “We have serious concerns”
“We have serious concerns that the announced result does not reflect the will or the voice of the Venezuelan people,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The electoral authority is supposed to be an independent body. However, the opposition accuses it of being nothing more than an extension of the government. The dispute over the election result is also causing concerns in Latin American countries.
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) said on Monday on the sidelines of a press conference in Vienna that he shared American concerns about the fairness and transparency of the election. It was remarkable that Maduro had already declared in advance that he accepted the election result and would ensure that it was respected. “I think that speaks volumes,” said Schallenberg. “This election is not good news for the region,” Schallenberg added.
“We will not accept any result that cannot be verified”
“Maduro’s regime must understand that the results are hard to believe,” said Chile’s President Gabriel Boric. “We will not accept any result that cannot be verified.” Peru’s Foreign Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea made similar comments. “I condemn in the strongest possible terms all the irregularities committed by the Venezuelan government with fraudulent intent,” he said. Quite different words come from Cuba, a close ally of Maduro. “The people have spoken and the revolution has won,” said President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
According to the official results, Maduro would begin his third six-year term in January 2025. According to observers, the chances of a change in policy in Caracas were better than they had been for a long time. In contrast to the elections six years ago, the opposition was united this time. In addition, even loyal supporters of the socialist government were disappointed in the catastrophic economic situation. More than 80 percent of the population live below the poverty line in the once rich country with large oil reserves. Power outages are a recurring problem. Gas, medicine and petrol are in short supply. More than seven million people – a quarter of the population – have left Venezuela in the past ten years because of poverty and violence.
Maduro has been in office since the death of his predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez in 2013. The former bus driver from the Socialist Unity Party PSUV is controversial. The country with rich oil reserves has been in an economic and humanitarian crisis for years. Maduro blames the US economic and financial sanctions for this. Thanks to the support of Russia and China, he was able to stay in power.