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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Photo via Voice of America Journal
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Published on
Monday, July 29, 2024
By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff and wire services
On
Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs
called for a transparent recount of ballots
in Venezuela's presidential election as the
best approach to ensure that the results
represent the will of the Venezuelan people.
The
governments of Argentina, Ecuador,
Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the
Dominican Republic, and Uruguay all
supported Costa Rica's demand.
In a
joint statement, these governments stand
their deeply concerned about the outcome of
Venezuela's presidential elections and
demand a thorough review of the results with
the participation of independent electoral
observers to ensure respect for the will of
the Venezuelan people, who voted massively
and peacefully, noted the Ministry.
"The
vote count must be precise, and the outcomes
should leave no room for doubt," added the
authorities in its statement.
Costa
Rica has sought an urgent meeting of the
Organization of American States (OAS)
Permanent Council to deliver a resolution on
the results of Venezuela's presidential
elections, in which President Nicolas Maduro
was re-elected for another term.
President
Rodrigo Chaves-Robles stated that the
administration rejects Nicolás Maduro's
fraudulent proclamation as Venezuela's
president.
"We
will work with democratic governments
throughout the continent and international
organizations to ensure that the Venezuelan
people's will is respected," Chaves stated.
Venezuelan
President Nicolás Maduro won the election to
a new term, the country’s election authority
said early Monday, after a vote in which the
opposition expressed confidence it
won, according
to a report published by Voice of America
Journal.
The
National Electoral Council released its
results six hours after polls closed, saying
Maduro had 51% of the vote compared to 44%
for opposition candidate Edmundo González.
The
results did not include vote tallies from
individual polling centers.
Opposition
leader Maria Corina Machado rejected the
election authority’s result, saying instead
González had won 70% of the vote.
While Maduro celebrated his win, many governments throughout the Americas called for transparency in the vote count.
"We
have serious concerns that the result
announced does not reflect the will or the
votes of the Venezuelan people,” U.S.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Maduro, speaking to a rally of supporters early Monday, promised “peace and security.” He dismissed foreign criticism while presenting Venezuela’s election authority, which is controlled by Maduro loyalists, as more legitimate than systems in other countries such as the United States. Chile’s
President Gabriel Boric called the election
results “difficult to believe.”
Boric
said on X that the Venezuelan people and the
international community demand full
transparency of the votes and the counting
process, and for independent international
observers to verify the results.
In
Europe, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel
Albares Bueno called for a show of data from
all polling stations, and for people to
maintain calm and civility.
European
Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
said access to voting records from polling
stations is “vital” and that the will of
Venezuelan voters “must be respected.”
Maduro
drew support from some allies following the
announcement of his victory, including Cuban
President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who said he
spoke to Maduro and congratulated him for a
“historic electoral triumph.”
Honduran
President Xiomara Castro congratulated
Maduro and the Venezuelan people for “for
their unobjectionable triumph, which
reaffirms their sovereignty.”
Bolivian
President Luis Arce said his government
welcomed “the fact that the will of the
Venezuelan people at the polls has been
respected.”
Maduro
is serving his second term as president, and
Sunday’s vote represented his toughest
electoral challenge.
González
is a retired diplomat who was thrust into
the campaign in April after Venezuela’s
Supreme Court blocked Machado from the
ballot.
Nicolás
Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician and
the president of Venezuela since 2013.
Maduro has been described as an autocrat and
a dictator by democratic countries.
Voice
of America Journal, VOA, is a U.S.
government news agency funded by the U.S.
Congress.
---------------- How could the Venezuelans depose President Nicolás Maduro without the support of the army? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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