MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuelan authorities claim Maduro was reelected

Amoroso announced what many foresaw as the only possible outcome given the many restrictions on foreign observers and other measures in the same directions

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) announced in the wee hours of Monday that President Nicolás Maduro Moros had been ratified for another six years in office. However, the main opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia posted on X that “the results are undeniable” because “the country chose a peaceful change.”

CNE Chairman Elvis Amoroso said Maduro collected 51.2% after 80% of the vote was counted, representing a “strong and irreversible trend.” González Urrutia received 44.2% of the vote, Amoroso also said. The opposition's reaction was to be made public.

After a relatively calm voting day with minor incidents during which nonetheless one person was reported to have been killed, supporters at both the González Urrutia's Unitarian Platform (PUD) and the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) were celebrating.

For the PSUV, Jully 28 was also the 70th birthday of the late revolutionary leader Hugo Chávez Frías, whom Maduro succeeded after his death in 2013, thus extending the Bolivarian regime to today's 25th straight year.

Way before any figures were released, Argentine Foreign Ministry Diana Mondino posted on social media that Maduro should “: ACKNOWLEDGE DEFEAT” (in upper case letters). “The difference in votes against the Chavista dictatorship is overwhelming,” she went on. “They lost in every state by more than 35%,” she stressed. “There is no fraud or violence that hides reality,” Argentina's top diplomat added.

President Javier Milei concurred: “Venezuelans chose to end the communist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro. The data announce a crushing victory for the opposition and the world is waiting for it to recognize defeat after years of socialism, misery, decadence, and death.”

“Nauseous Nazi, the Argentine people will take their toll on you sooner rather than later, our overwhelming victory is an unmistakable sign that our people will defeat the fascism you promote,” replied Foreign Minister Yvan Gil from Caracas in what became the first admission by any government official of Maduro's triumph.

“Venezuela denounces and alerts the world about an intervention operation against the electoral process, our right to free self-determination and the sovereignty of our Homeland, by a group of foreign governments and powers,” Gil had written moments earlier.

Exit polls by Edison Research showed a landslide victory for González Urrutia who would have earned some 65% of the vote against Maduro's 31%.

González Urrutia drew the opposition's vote seeking to bring Maduro's reign to an end following the disenfranchisement of María Corina Machado, who campaigned alongside him despite restrictions such as an air travel ban.

“Venezuelans, let us remain in the Voting Centers in peace, validating and defending vote by vote. We have the right to remain at the voting centers until they deliver the minutes that will validate the information we have,” González Urrutia posted. “Let us defend and celebrate democracy in peace,” he added.

After all polling stations closed at 6 pm local time, pro-Madurist paramilitary gangs referred to as “colectivos” rode their motorcycles through the streets of Caracas in a move to deter opposition voters who had taken to the streets en masse to celebrate what they believed was going to be the end of the Socialist regime.

A former Venezuelan ambassador to Algeria and Argentina, González Urrutia is known for his calm temper. He had pledged to enforce a peaceful transition should Maduro acknowledge defeat, which has not happened.