Muthomi Ireri
Venezuela is experiencing a political deadlock following Sunday’s presidential election, with both President Nicolás Maduro and the main opposition coalition claiming victory.
Maduro has accused the opposition of attempting to create a political crisis, asserting that their efforts have been unsuccessful and will continue to be. He addressed the nation amid widespread protests triggered by the disputed election results, declaring that the situation would offer important lessons.
Maduro, supported by the National Electoral Council, which backs his party, claims to have won with 51% of the vote. In contrast, opposition candidate Edmundo González announced in a press conference that his campaign has evidence supporting his victory. According to González and opposition leader María Corina Machado, they have collected over 70% of the vote count from the election, showing González in the lead.
However, the electoral commission has yet to release machine tally results, which they promised to do in the “coming hours,” delaying verification of the results.
Protests erupted nationwide on Monday in response to the contested election results. While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, a confrontation occurred in Caracas when national police in riot gear blocked protesters. Law enforcement used tear gas to disperse the crowd, which responded by throwing stones and other objects.
In response to the disputed results, nine Latin American countries have called for a “full re-examination” of the election results.
Dj Vnyash
Silverio Omari
