Guyana calls for transparent verification of Venezuela’s elections results

Jul 31, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana joins the United States of America (USA), Peru, Chile and other regional leaders in calling for a transparent verification of Venezuela’s 2024 elections results.

The Guyana Government stated that elections are about people exercising their constitutional right to elect a government of their choice in a free, fair and transparent process while adding, “It behooves all to ensure the integrity of that process through the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and strict adherence to the rule of law, including the rules governing elections, to guarantee respect for the will of the people.”

In a statement, the government said, “Guyana therefore, supports the call for a transparent process of verification of the will of the Venezuelan people as exercised on July 28, 2024. The people of Venezuela deserve nothing less.

The neighbouring country held its presidential elections on the Sunday, July 28. According to partial results announced by the Venezuela National Electoral Council (CNE), Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro Moros was re-elected for a third consecutive term.

The head of CNE, Elvis Amoroso, reportedly a close ally of Maduro, said that with 80% of ballots counted, President Maduro had 51% of the vote, compared to 44% for his main rival, Edmundo Gonzalez .

The Venezuelan opposition reportedly dismissed the CNE’s announcement as fraudulent and promised to challenge the result. It claimed that Edmundo González, had won with 70% of the votes and insisted he was the rightful president-elect. Exit polls had also shown that Gonzalez was in the lead and left many Venezuela voters believing that the election was rigged.

This sparked massive and bloody protests in parts of the Capital City Caracas and other areas of the country.  Statues of former Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez were torn down in retaliation to the results.

Armed gangs supporting the opposition have also threatened war against those who support the Maduro Regime while protestors continue their clash with Venezuelan police and other law-enforcement agencies that are trying to restore peace.  Some protestors from Petare Caracas are even planning to protest in front of the presidential palace, Mira Flores.

Thousands continue to gather at the CNE’ s office in Caracas clamoring for the electoral body to release the correct election results.

Meanwhile, the US government has been on the forefront calling for transparency in the release of the Venezuelan election data.

CNN reported that the US on Monday joined Venezuelan civil society groups and the opposition by calling on Venezuela’s government to “immediately” release specific data on the presidential election, citing concerns about the credibility of Maduro’s victory.

Brazil, an important regional player, was softer in tone but said it was awaiting “the publication by the National Electoral Council of data broken down by polling station, an essential step for the transparency, credibility, and legitimacy of the election results,” according to a statement by the foreign ministry.

Venezuela’s government, in turn, said it was expelling diplomatic staff from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, calling them “right-wing Washington-subordinate governments” who were committed to “the most sordid fascist ideological positions.”

Only a very limited number of election observers were allowed to monitor the vote. These included The Carter Center and the United Nations, which also called on the country’s election commission (CNE) to publish polling station-level results.

“The Carter Center has a big responsibility on their shoulders,” Laura Cristina Dib, the Venezuela Program director at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), told CNN, explaining that it is the only international technical observation mission that can issue a public report on the results.

A preliminary report from the Carter Center was scheduled to be released on Tuesday morning, however the organization canceled its publication and is pulling all its staff from the country, according to a person with knowledge of the center’s plans. It is unclear when the report will be issued.

Venezuela under Maduro’s reign has seen over 7.8 million people have fleeing the country because of the economic and political crisis there.  Thousands have fled to Guyana as well and on Sunday afternoon they gathered in front of the Venezuelan embassy hoping for a change of government but ended the night disappointed.

While Maduro continuously blames the US sanction for the Venezuela’s economic crisis, Venezuelans claim that his regime is corrupt and is main reason why many fled their home.

The migrants in Guyana are eager to return home and rebuild their country but said they will only do so if there is a change of government.

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• Elections, leaders, Nicholas Maduro Moros, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Venezuela

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