Today Wednesday, President Nicolás Maduro called on Venezuela’s Supreme Court to audit the recent presidential election following opposition claims challenging his victory. This request has drawn criticism from international observers, who argue that the court’s close ties to Maduro’s government compromise its ability to conduct an impartial review.
Maduro expressed his willingness to cooperate fully with the audit, stating, “I throw myself before justice,” and emphasized that his party is ready to present all vote tally sheets from the election.
This request for an audit marks Maduro’s first step toward addressing demands for greater transparency. However, concerns arise due to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice’s alignment with Maduro’s government, as its justices are selected by federal officials and confirmed by the National Assembly, which is controlled by Maduro’s supporters.
The Carter Center, which monitored the election, criticized Maduro’s request, noting that the court lacks independence. “You have another government institution, which is appointed by the government, to verify the government numbers for the election results, which are in question,” said Jennie K. Lincoln, who led the Carter Center delegation.
The Carter Center stated that it could not verify the election results and condemned the lack of transparency in declaring Maduro the winner. Maduro’s main opponent, Edmundo González, and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado claim they possess over two-thirds of the tally sheets from the electronic voting machines, which they believe will prove Maduro lost.
Maduro has accused opponents of plotting against his government and alleged that the electoral system was hacked. He pointed to cyber-attacks and other forms of sabotage as reasons for the delayed release of detailed vote counts.
Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported that over 1,000 individuals have been arrested in connection with attacks on electoral offices.
Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since the election, with the National Electoral Council, loyal to his party, yet to release detailed results. Colombian President Gustavo Petro and other international leaders have urged Maduro to release the detailed vote counts to ensure transparency and prevent further polarization in Venezuela.
Petro proposed that Maduro’s government and the opposition reach an agreement to respect the losing political force, suggesting that the United Nations Security Council could oversee this agreement.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Joe Biden have also called for the immediate release of transparent voting data. However, Brazil’s presidential office has withheld comments on whether the Supreme Tribunal of Justice’s audit would be independent.
The Organization of American States (OAS) convened to discuss the issue but failed to pass a resolution demanding the immediate publication of detailed election results.
Opposition leader Machado stated that their tally sheets show González received approximately 6.2 million votes compared to Maduro’s 2.7 million, a significant contrast to the official results announced by the electoral council.
Venezuela, once a prosperous nation with vast crude reserves, has faced economic turmoil since Maduro took office in 2013, leading to widespread shortages and mass emigration. Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014, with many settling in Colombia.
The European Union’s foreign affairs chief announced that the EU would not recognize Maduro’s victory without independent verification of the voting records. Protests erupted in Caracas and other cities following the announcement of Maduro’s win, leading to violent clashes with law enforcement. The human rights organization Foro Penal reported 11 deaths related to the election unrest.
Maduro’s allies have defended him vigorously, with National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez denouncing the opposition as violent fascists and calling for the arrest of Machado and González. Despite the turmoil, González urged his supporters to remain peaceful and continue demanding the publication of the tally sheets to ensure the election results are respected.
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