On Saturday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro faced a wave of opposition protests both domestically and internationally, as citizens rallied to demand recognition of the electoral victory of Edmundo González Urrutia. The protests were led by María Corina Machado, who urged supporters to carry printed voting records to validate their claims of a fraudulent election. Despite the government's declaration of Maduro's victory, the opposition insists that González won with 67% of the votes, a claim supported by over 80% of the electoral records they collected.
The mobilization took place in Caracas and across 350 cities worldwide, reflecting the frustration of 7.7 million Venezuelans who have emigrated due to the country's ongoing crisis. In Caracas, Machado led a caravan, stating, 'The time has come to collect, that every vote be respected,' while thousands of supporters echoed calls for freedom. Meanwhile, Maduro dismissed the opposition's claims, accusing González of hiding and planning to flee the country.
As tensions escalated, the Venezuelan government intensified its crackdown on dissent, with reports of over 2,000 detentions and at least 25 deaths following the elections. International scrutiny of the electoral process has grown, with several countries and organizations calling for transparent verification of the results. The situation remains precarious as both sides prepare for an uncertain political future.
