New demonstrations are expected in Venezuela on Tuesday as four people were killed and dozens injured as authorities dispersed protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s claim of victory in a disputed election.
Security forces on Monday fired tear gas and rubber bullets at angry protesters challenging the official results, which have been questioned by the opposition and neighbouring countries.
Thousands of people took to the streets of several areas of the capital, Caracas, chanting “Freedom, freedom!” and “This government is about to fall!”
Some people tore down and burned Maduro’s campaign posters, while at least two statues of Hugo Chavez, an authoritarian socialist who led Venezuela for more than a decade and chose Maduro as his successor, were toppled by protesters.
Apart from the deaths, 44 people were also injured, according to the National Hospital Survey, a network that monitors the crisis situation in the country’s hospitals.
The network said two of the dead were in Aragua state and one in Caracas. Meanwhile, the NGO Foro Penal reported another person dead in the northwestern state of Yaracuy.
Amid growing fears of violence, Freddy Superlano, a prominent leader of the opposition coalition, was “kidnapped” by black-clad officers, his Voluntad Popular said on Christmas.
Suspicion of fraud
The elections were held amid widespread suspicions of fraud and allegations of political intimidation by the government.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) re-elected Maduro, 61, to a six-year term until 2031, with the president winning 51.2 percent of the vote, while Edmundo González Urrutia received 44.2 percent.
But opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told reporters that a review of available voting records showed clearly that the next president “will be Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia”, who took his place on the ballot after Maduro-backed courts barred him from contesting the election.
He said records showed González Urrutia had a “mathematically insurmountable” lead, with 6.27 million votes while Maduro had 2.75 million.
The Organization of American States (OUS) on Tuesday alleged there had been “extraordinary manipulation” of the election results, which led to Maduro’s victory.
Machado called on families to attend “popular assemblies” taking place across the country on Tuesday to show their support for a peaceful transfer of power.
Maduro’s campaign manager Jorge Rodríguez also called on the X to “carry out massive marches starting this Tuesday to celebrate the victory”.
In Caracas on Monday, AFP saw National Guard members fire tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, some wearing motorcycle helmets and with handkerchiefs tied over their faces. Some responded by throwing stones.
Protests were reported even in poor areas of Caracas that have been strongholds of Maduro’s support. Gunfire was also heard in some areas.
The United Nations, the United States, the European Union and several Latin American countries called for a “transparent” process, while allies including China, Russia and Cuba congratulated Maduro.
Nine Latin American countries demanded a joint statement calling for a “full review of the results in the presence of independent electoral observers.” Chile’s president said the results were “hard to believe.”
Amid the tensions, Peru recalled its ambassador and Panama said it was suspending relations with Venezuela. Meanwhile, Caracas said it was recalling diplomatic staff from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.
Warning of ‘bloodshed’
Independent polls had predicted Maduro would lose Sunday’s vote.
He has been at the helm of the oil-rich nation since 2013. US sanctions and economic mismanagement have seen GDP drop by 80 per cent over the past decade, forcing more than 7 million of Venezuela’s 30 million citizens to flee.
Maduro is accused of locking up critics and harassing the opposition in an atmosphere of growing authoritarianism.
Before the election he had warned that there would be “bloodshed” if he lost.
Sunday’s election was the result of an agreement between the government and the opposition last year.
The deal led to the United States temporarily easing sanctions imposed after Maduro’s 2018 re-election, which dozens of Latin American and other countries dismissed as a sham.
The sanctions were reimposed after Maduro reneged on the agreed terms.
Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, but its production capacity has declined drastically in recent years.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
