Venezuela’s political opposition and its supporters gathered in cities around the country on Saturday to demand recognition of what they say is their candidate’s resounding victory in a presidential vote nearly three weeks ago.
The country’s electoral authority, considered by the opposition to be an arm of the ruling party, has said President Nicolás Maduro won his third term in the July 28th contest, with just under 52 per cent of the vote.
But the opposition, led by former lawmaker María Corina Machado, has published online what it says are 83 per cent of voting machine tallies, which give its candidate Edmundo González a hearty 67 per cent support.
The disputed vote has thrown the economically beleaguered nation into political crisis, and a government crackdown on protests has led to at least 2,400 arrests. Clashes connected to the protests have also led to at least 23 deaths.
The international community has offered a raft of suggestions for overcoming the nearly three-week-old election crisis – including a new vote – but most have been rejected outright by both the ruling party and opposition.
In the capital Caracas, thousands gathered in the eastern part of the city along its main thoroughfare.
Standing on a truck in the center of the crowd, Ms Machado called for independent, international verification of the election and for her supporters to stay in the streets.
"There is nothing above the voice of the people and the people have spoken," she said.
In cities across the country, Venezuelans were in the streets. In Maracaibo, Venezuela’s once oil-rich city in the northwest, hundreds had gathered by 9am local time.
In the cities of Valencia, San Cristobal and Barquisimeto, hundreds demonstrated, many waving Venezuelan flags, protest signs or copies of voting tallies. In Maracay, about 110km (70 miles) west of Caracas, about a hundred protesters were dispersed with tear gas.
Mr Maduro has presided over economic collapse, with a loss of over 73 per cent of Venezuela’s gross domestic product since 2013, according to researchers from the Institute of Superior Administration Studies in Caracas.
At Miraflores Palace after a march in support of the government, Mr Maduro promised 8 per cent growth this year and railed against international critics and the opposition.
“We have won the right to make whatever future we want in Venezuela, however we want, and no one can stick their noses in Venezuela,” he told a crowd waving Venezuelan flags. “I do not go around giving advice to anybody in the world about what to do with this country or that country ... the door will be slammed on anyone who pokes their nose into Venezuela.”
The opposition is still pushing for recognition of its victory, but its options are narrowing as international attention moves elsewhere, opposition sources and analysts told Reuters this week.
Many western countries have urged full publication of results, while Russia, China and others have congratulated Mr Maduro on his victory.
Latin American leaders will discuss the crisis this weekend when many are in the Dominican Republic to attend the inauguration of that country’s new president, Panama’s president has said. – Reuters