Expectations for increased protests in Venezuela are rising after the opposition questioned the results of the presidential election held over the weekend, where Nicolas Maduro was re-elected. The opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has called on families to participate in “popular assemblies” across the South American country. Machado stated to journalists the day before that a review of the voting data from Sunday’s election indicated that the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had achieved a “categorical and mathematically irrevocable” victory over Maduro. “There are millions of citizens in Venezuela who want to see their vote count,” she also wrote on social media.
However, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, CNE) confirmed on Monday that Maduro had been re-elected with a majority of the votes for a new six-year term as president “for the period 2025-2031.” This announcement has triggered widespread anger, and thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets in several neighborhoods in the capital Caracas and elsewhere to express their opposition to Maduro and his government. Thousands of protesters shouted, “Freedom, freedom!” and “This government will fall!” during Monday’s demonstrations, which were met with tear gas and rubber bullets from the police.
A local monitoring group, the Venezuelan Conflict Observatory (Observatorio de Conflictos Venezolanos), recorded 187 protests across 20 states by Monday evening, noting “numerous repressions and violence” carried out by paramilitary groups and security forces. According to non-profit organizations, four people have been killed during the protests. The National Hospital Survey, which monitors crises in Venezuelan hospitals, reported two deaths in the northern state of Aragua and one in Caracas. Additionally, Foro Penal, a non-profit group, reported one death in the northwestern state of Yaracuy.
Meanwhile, the opposition party Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) announced that their national coordinator Freddy Superlano had been arrested. Maduro has dismissed international criticism and doubts regarding the election results and claims, without providing evidence, that Venezuela is the target of an attempted “coup” of a “fascist and counter-revolutionary” nature. His government has also described the protests as violent agitation.
Maduro, who first came to power in 2013 following the death of his mentor Hugo Chavez, has promised that security forces will maintain peace and order. “We’ve seen this movie before,” he said from the presidential palace. He and his campaign manager, Jorge Rodriguez, have also called for “large marches starting Tuesday to celebrate the victory.”
The results have, however, elicited mixed reactions from foreign governments, with the United States, European Union, and several Latin American countries demanding a “transparent” process, while Venezuela’s allies, including China, Russia, and Cuba, have congratulated Maduro. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that the Venezuelan opposition must accept the defeat and warned against external interference.
The election observation body of the Organization of American States (OAS) announced that it cannot recognize the results and will hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the election. The OAS report indicated that events at the polling stations confirmed a “coordinated strategy” to undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
Spain’s Peru has decided to withdraw its ambassador from Venezuela, and Panama has announced it is suspending relations with the country over the disputed election. In response, Caracas has recalled diplomatic staff from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. The Venezuelan regime has also suspended flights to and from Panama and the Dominican Republic.
The political turmoil in Venezuela raises concerns about potential repression of peaceful protests, as well as a new wave of migration from the country, which has suffered an economic collapse that has driven millions to leave in recent years.