Thousands of Venezuelans marched on Saturday to protest the election in the South American country, while President Nicolas Maduro told supporters that nearly 2,000 people had been arrested during protests against the results.
Venezuela’s election authority, which critics have assailed for favoring the ruling socialists, declared Maduro the winner of last Sunday’s vote, saying on Monday that he had 51% of the vote, while opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had 46%. The authority confirmed the same margin on Friday.
The published election result sparked widespread allegations of fraud and protests. Security forces subsequently cracked down on protests that Maduro’s government described as part of a US-backed coup attempt.
“This time there will be no amnesty,” Maduro told supporters at a rally in Caracas, where he said about 2,000 people had been detained in connection with “crimes” committed during the protests. He promised “maximum punishment.”
Maduro’s supporters said they were defending democracy.
“Today we are gathered here at the call of our president to defend democracy,” Alfredo Valera, president of Venezuela’s Fontur union, who took part in a pro-government caravan in Caracas, told state television.
Elsewhere, opposition supporters marched to demand justice, including an appearance by their leader Maria Corina Machado, who on Saturday left her veiled self to join their protests on the streets of Caracas.
“Just as it took us a long time to achieve the electoral victory, now is a stage that we are passing day by day, but we have never been stronger than we are today, never,” Machado told supporters in Caracas.
Supporters were happy to see Machado out on the streets, after the leader said in a Thursday editorial for The Wall Street Journal that she was in hiding and feared for her life.
In addition to Caracas, demonstrations also took place in cities such as Valencia, Maracaibo and San Cristóbal.
“I don’t deny that it’s a bit scary to see security forces passing by,” said Maria Luzardo, a 46-year-old vendor in San Cristobal. “If (Machado) is brave enough to go out in the streets despite threats, so are we. Venezuela is calling us.”
At least 20 people have been killed so far in post-election protests, according to advocacy groups including the US-based Human Rights Watch. About 1,200 others have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, according to the government.
During the week, some Venezuelans were seen outside police stations searching for their detained family members.
The Organization of American States urged calm in Venezuela ahead of planned demonstrations.
“Today we urge that there be no more political prisoners, no more tortured persons, no more disappeared, no more killed,” the OAS said, after it described the election results this week as “unreliable.”
Several countries, including the United States and Argentina, have deemed Gonzalez the winner of the election, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying on Thursday, citing “overwhelming evidence.” Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay also concluded on Friday that Gonzalez received the most votes.
Other countries, including Russia, China and Cuba, congratulated Maduro.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
