Venezuelans march over contested election
CARACAS—Thousands of Venezuelans marched across the South American country on Saturday over its contested election, as President Nicolas Maduro told supporters some 2,000 people had been arrested during protests against the results.
Venezuela’s electoral authority, blasted by critics as favoring the ruling socialists, proclaimed Maduro the winner in last Sunday’s vote, saying on Monday he obtained 51 percent compared to 46 percent for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.
The published election result sparked widespread allegations of fraud and protests. Subsequently security forces cracked down on protests which Maduro’s government labeled part of an attempted US-backed coup.
“This time there will be no forgiveness,” Maduro told supporters at a rally in Caracas, where he said some 2,000 people had been detained in connection to “crimes” during the protests. He pledged “maximum punishment.”
Maduro’s supporters said they were defending democracy.
“Today we are here heeding the call of our president … to defend democracy,” Alfredo Valera, president of Venezuela’s Fontur union, who took part in a progovernment caravan in Caracas, told state television.
Elsewhere, opposition supporters marched to demand justice, buoyed by the presence of leader Maria Corina Machado, who emerged from hiding on Saturday to join her demonstrations on the streets of Caracas.
‘Never been as strong’
“Just as it took us a long time to achieve electoral victory, now comes a stage that we take day by day, but we have never been as strong as today, never,” Machado told supporters in Caracas.
Supporters were happy to see Machado in the streets after the leader said in a Thursday op-ed for the Wall Street Journal that she was in hiding and feared for her life.
In addition to Caracas, demonstrations took place in cities including Valencia, Maracaibo and San Cristobal.
“I don’t deny it’s a little scary to see security forces pass by,” said vendor Maria Luzardo, 46, in San Cristobal. “If (Machado) is brave enough to be on the streets despite the threats, so are we. Venezuela is calling us.”
So far, at least 20 people have been killed in postelection protests, according to advocacy groups, including US-based Human Rights Watch.
Nations including the United States and Argentina have already recognized Gonzalez as the election’s winner, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday citing “overwhelming evidence.” Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay also concluded on Friday that Gonzalez received the most votes.
