Thousands of people in Venezuela show up to protest against Maduro’s election victory

Jakarta –

Thousands of people from the opposition showed up across Venezuela to protest the results of the General Election (Pemilu). Nicolas made the selection Maduro ran as president for three terms since 2013.

Reported by AFP on Saturday (3/8/2024), opposition leader Maria Corina Machado encouraged her supporters. He made a spectacular appearance on a truck with the words “Venezuela has won!”

Mechado’s action was his first public appearance after several days of hiding. Previously, Machado supported the candidacy of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia after he himself was banned from running.

Supporters chanted “Freedom!” when the truck passed on Saturday (3/7/2024).

“We have never been stronger,” Machado told the crowd, adding that “the regime has never been weaker … it has lost all legitimacy.”

Maduro’s supporters are also resigning at the same time as the opposition. Maduro also called on his supporters to participate in the “biggest march” this afternoon. He accused the opposition of planning attacks on security forces during their demonstrations.

Eleven civilians were reported killed and more than 1,000 arrested in protests that erupted after the country’s CNE election authority, which is loyal to Maduro.

It is known that CNE announced on Friday (2/7) that he was the winner with 52 percent of the vote compared to 43 percent for Gonzalez Urrutia.

However, these results were rejected by several countries, including the United States, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay. They said that the results available showed the opposition candidate as a clear winner.

The government has ordered the expulsion of diplomats from several countries that have questioned his influence. Argentine diplomats who arrived in Buenos Aires on Saturday said power was cut to their embassy, ​​while hooded police stood guard outside.

Maduro, 61, has reacted strongly to widespread international criticism, describing allegations of electoral fraud as a “race” staged by Washington to justify a “coup”.

Maduro has presided over the oil-rich, cash-poor country since 2013, presiding over an 80 percent GDP decline that has forced more than seven million of Venezuela’s 30 million wealthy citizens to go abroad. Experts blame economic mismanagement and US sanctions for the fall.

(aik/aik)