HomeInternational NewsVenezuela's Opposition Candidates Face Criminal Investigation Amid Election Dispute

Venezuela’s Opposition Candidates Face Criminal Investigation Amid Election Dispute

A criminal investigation has been initiated against Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and leader Maria Corina Machado. The investigation was announced by Attorney General Tarek William Saab on Monday, following a written appeal from the two opposition members to the military and police to recognize an election result that contrasts with what President Nicolas Maduro has proclaimed.

Saab stated that the duo “falsely announced a winner of the presidential election, which is not the one proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral), the only body entitled to make such declarations.” He added that they have publicly urged “police and military personnel to defy the laws.”

The National Electoral Council has been under pressure to release detailed election results that support their claim of Maduro’s victory. On Monday, they informed that they have presented these records to the Supreme Court, as requested by the president, but have not made them public.

The opposition asserts that Gonzalez Urrutia was the rightful winner of the election held on July 28, which has plunged the oil-rich nation into a political crisis. Several countries, including the United States and Argentina, have recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the victor, while the European Union has taken a more reserved stance, urging for the publication of the vote counts.

The disputed election has triggered protests, which, according to human rights groups, have resulted in the deaths of at least 11 civilians. The opposition in a statement called on “soldiers and police officers” to side with the people and provide “guarantees to those fulfilling their constitutional duties” under a possible “new government.”

The statement, signed by Gonzalez Urrutia as “president-elect,” further urges security forces to halt the “suppression” of opposition protests. The government has reported that two soldiers were killed during the clashes.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called for dialogue between the Venezuelan government and opposition to resolve the election conflict. “A commitment to peace is what leads us to call the parties to dialogue and promote understanding between the government and the opposition,” said Lula during a state visit to Chile, where he met with President Gabriel Boric. Lula, an ally of Maduro, has urged his Venezuelan counterpart to release the election results to resolve the dispute.

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