Venezuela Erupts In Protests After Maduro Is Declared Winner

Tensions have escalated in Venezuela as protests swept the nation following President Nicolás Maduro’s claim of victory in the recent election. The opposition has vehemently disputed the results, calling them fraudulent.

According to the opposition, their candidate, Edmundo González, won a convincing 73.2% of the vote, contradicting the official results announced by the National Electoral Council.

“They show we have a president-elect, and that person is Edmundo Gonzalez,” opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said.

Opposition parties had united behind Mr. González in an attempt to unseat President Maduro after 11 years in power, amid widespread discontent over the country’s economic crisis.

The opposition has demanded a transparent breakdown of the results, which the government has yet to provide.

Maduro’s government has responded to the protests with force, deploying security forces and paramilitary groups to disperse demonstrators.

Reports of violence and arrests have surfaced, sparking fears of further escalation. Security forces have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters.

Venezuela’s government also announced a temporary suspension of commercial air flights to and from Venezuela with Panama and the Dominican Republic starting from 20:00 local time on Wednesday.

In a speech on Venezuelan state television, Mr Maduro said it is his “obligation to tell you the truth”.

“We are all under the obligation to listen to the truth, to gear up with patience, calmness, and strength because we are familiar with this movie and we know how to face these situations and how to defeat the violent,” he said.

Mr Maduro has accused the opposition of calling for a coup by disputing the results.

“This is not the first time we are facing what we are facing today. An attempt is being made to impose a coup d’etat in Venezuela again of fascist and counter-revolutionary character,” he added.

The Venezuelan attorney general warned that the blocking of roads or breaking any laws related to disturbances as part of protests would be met with the full force of the law.

He said 32 people had been detained on accusations ranging from destroying electoral materials to sparking acts of violence.

The international community has expressed concerns over the election’s legitimacy, with the United States and other countries calling for transparency and a thorough investigation into the results.