2024-07-31 03:40:00
Strong protests took place in Caracas and other major Venezuelan cities on Tuesday.
A young woman played the Venezuelan national anthem on a violin as thousands sang the song at a rally in Caracas, calling on people to call out fraud and claims that rival Edmundo González Urrutia Defeated President Nicolás Maduro in the presidential election.
Most were dressed in white or wore shirts from the famous Vinotinto football team; they wore hats with flags, flags, banners and horns that disappeared from the central avenue of Caracas.
“You see it, you feel it,” President Edmundo shouted! “Maduro dictator!”, “No to fraud!” “We are not afraid!” they repeated in unison, determined to defend their votes .
They were unaware that Maduro had announced a third six-year term until 2031 and claimed that Maduro had removed himself from disqualified leader María Collina Machado’s representative, González Urrutia. The victory was stolen there.
On the wall, a protester whose face was obscured by a flag kept touching two dented jars. At the foot, there is a small sign: “We have evidence, President Edmundo.”
Another boy deftly climbed up a tall tree, where a huge Venezuelan flag hung from its branches. People looked at him and applauded his feat.
“We are one people,” nun Shirley Barillas, 41, who customarily wore a Venezuelan flag as a cloak, told AFP. “We have faith, but we also have civic faith.”
The opposition characterized the rally as a “citizens’ rally” and it was repeated in other cities.
Chavezmo also called for a massive march to the presidential palace Miraflores “to defend peace”.
“afraid of what?”
Machado and González Urrutia arrived at the rally in the open truck they used during the campaign to an uproar from those present, who whipped out their phones to record every moment. “Freedom, freedom!”
“I told them we were going to win, and we won!” began Machado, who was unable to become a candidate because of her disqualification. “I told them we’re charging, and we’re charging!” he continued, in line with his campaign promise to not let the election be “stolen.”
Machado insists he has evidence of alleged fraud. On one site, it grouped 84% of voting records.
The website of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) has been down since the day of the election and has not yet provided details of the review, Maduro was declared winner with 51% of the vote.
«We asked the CNE to provide minutes of the meeting. What is latency? “What is the fear?” “The outcome is not negotiated. “The only thing we are willing to negotiate is a transition that provides security for everyone. ” At that moment, more packages of records that they had kept on Election Day were spontaneously provided as election witnesses.
“I have faith”
The government’s tone has been bellicose since the protests began, with Maduro even blaming the opposition for “criminal violence, injuries and deaths” in Venezuela.
Gonzalez Urrutia said in a message to the Forces of Order that “there is no reason to suppress the Venezuelan people”.
These first protests took place in many popular areas hardest hit by the economic crisis.
“Even the (poor) communities are struggling and people are tired,” said Thaís Farías, a 31-year-old administrator.
Maduro ordered a special law enforcement deployment against “violent commanders of (opposition movements) aligned with popular forces.”
“I would like to see them take to the streets until we consolidate peace,” he asked. In fact, some groups of protesters who left after the rally were gassed.
Previously, at the closing ceremony, the Venezuelan national anthem was played again, and everyone sang in unison.
Jonathan Rada, 25, went to the rally with friends. He wears a Vinotinto shirt and his motto is “Hands, I have faith.”
“This is why I say this: The election was 100 percent stolen from us, but I believe we will move forward,” he said.
*AFP Journal
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