Maduro Declared Winner in Venezuela Election as Opposition Claims Vote was “Stolen”

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Maduro Declared Winner in Venezuela Election as Opposition Claims Vote was “Stolen”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in Sunday’s presidential election, setting himself up for a third term in office even as opposition candidate Edmundo González claims to have won by a landslide. As the Maduro regime deploys security forces to quell possible unrest in the capital city of Caracas, the opposition is calling on the military to turn against the president and back the “rightful” winner against an attempt to “steal” the election.

“The Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened,” González said after Maduro’s alleged victory was announced.

A Chavista worker allegedly exposed Nicolás Maduro’s electoral performance in a selfie taken at the Computing Center, revealing multiple screens displaying the potential defeat of the Venezuelan president in various states.

A Chavista worker allegedly exposed Nicolás Maduro's electoral performance in a selfie taken at the Computing Center, revealing multiple screens displaying the potential defeat of the Venezuelan president in various states.

Earlier in the day, the National Electoral Council, which is run by Maduro loyalists, reported that the incumbent had won by 51% to González’s 44%. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who appeared alongside González to contest the election results, denied this claim and insisted that González had won by an “overwhelming” margin.

The Electoral Council has yet to release the vote tallies from 30,000 polling stations.

Upon learning of the situation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that his office has “serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.”

“It’s critical that every vote be counted fairly and transparently that the electoral authorities immediately share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay and that the electoral authorities publish the tabulation of votes,” Blinken said. “The international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly.”

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