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PoliticsVenezuela

Pro-opposition Venezuelans protest election 'fraud'

August 18, 2024

Supporters of Venezuela's opposition gathered across the country and abroad to demand the recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez as president. Protesters allege President Nicolas Maduro stole the July 28 election.

https://p.dw.com/p/4jaVL
Venezuela Caracas | Proteste der Opposition
One of the largest crowds gathered in Caracas, where opposition leader Maria Corina Machado (standing on the vehicle roughly in the center of this frame, waving a Venezuelan flag) came out of hiding to participate in the protests Image: Gaby Oraa/REUTERS

Supporters of Venezuela's political opposition took to the streets on Saturday in several cities in the Latin American country and abroad.

Venezuela's opposition disputes that President Nicolas Maduro won the presidential election on July 28.

Maria Corina Machado speaks at opposition protest on August 17
Machado called for protesters to stay in the streetsImage: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/REUTERS

What do we know about the protests?

On Saturday, thousands gathered in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado called for independent, international verification of the July 28 election and urged protesters to stay in the streets.

"There is nothing above the voice of the people and the people have spoken," she said.

She also called for security forces to switch sides and support the opposition.

In the northwestern city of Maracaibo, hundreds had gathered by 9 a.m. local time (1300 UTC).

Hundreds of demonstrators were also seen in the cities of Valencia, San Cristobal and Barquisimeto.

According to Venezuela's opposition, there were also rallies in Spain, Australia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

People demonstrate after a call for global protests against the results of the disputed election in Venezuela, on August 17, 2024 in Barcelona.
One of the larger demonstrations in Europe took place in Barcelona on SaturdayImage: Manaure Quintero/AFP/Getty Images

Over 7 million Venezuelans live outside the country.

What sparked Venezuela's anti-government protests?

Venezuela's electoral authority, the National Electoral Council (CNE), said that Maduro won just under 52% in this year's presidential election, securing him a third term.

The opposition alleges that the CNE functions as an arm of Maduro's ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

The opposition published what it claims to be 83% of voting machine tallies, which give its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez nearly 67% support.

A government crackdown on protests has led to at least 2,400 arrests and clashes have led to at least 23 deaths.

Supporters participate in a demonstration called by Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina, Machado amid the disputed presidential election, in Bogota, Colombia August 17, 2024.
Demonstrators also took to the streets of the Colombian capital Bogota, as Colombia and Brazil's governments lead efforts to negotiate some kind of solution to the post-election limbo that both sides would acceptImage: Nathalia Angarita/REUTERS

The European Union and the Organization of American States (OAS) have requested the publication of detailed results lists. The US and several Latin American countries have recognized Gonzalez as the election winner.

Earlier this week, a UN panel concluded that Venezuela's election lakced "transparency and integrity."

sdi/msh (Reuters, AFP, dpa, EFE)