Opposition leader María Corina Machado and candidate Edmundo González Urrutia have publicly rejected the National Electoral Council's (CNE) announcement declaring Nicolás Maduro the winner of the recent presidential elections in Venezuela. Machado claims that the opposition secured a decisive victory with 73% of the electoral records, while the CNE reported Maduro's win with 51.2% of the votes. This stark contrast has ignited tensions and calls for transparency in the electoral process.
The CNE's announcement has raised serious concerns about electoral integrity, with international figures, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chilean President Gabriel Boric, questioning the legitimacy of the results. Maduro's government faces allegations of fraud reminiscent of past elections, and the opposition is mobilizing to demand a full recount and verification of the votes. Amidst protests, at least eleven civilians have reportedly died, further escalating the crisis in Venezuela.
