MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Former Colombian President warns of plan to hold fresh elections in Venezuela

“This plan must be avoided,” warned also Duque, who insisted González Urrutia had won on July 28

Former Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez said Sunday on X that Venezuela's Supreme Court (TSJ) was considering the possibility of annulling the July 28 elections reportedly won by incumbent President Nicolás Maduro given an alleged “cyberattack” that would have affected the integrity of the electoral data.

“There is talk inside the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice that they would be studying the possibility of declaring the elections null and void, given that the data could have been corrupted due to the 'cyberattack' that Maduro wants to use as a smokescreen,” Duque wrote.

He also explained that “the TSJ ordered the [National Electoral Council] CNE, among other things, to provide it with all the technical information attesting to the 'cyberattack' of which the CNE claims to have been a victim on Sunday, July 28, for which reason it has not been able to provide the minutes.”

Duque also mentioned that in this scenario, his successor and current Colombian President Gustavo Petro would suggest repeating the elections, while the support of Mexico and Brazil is brokered.

The conservative leader pointed out that TSJ would issue such a ruling on the grounds that “it consulted one or two companies specialized in cybersecurity and that, after analyzing all the technical information provided by the CNE about the 'cyber attack,' it concluded that it indeed happened, and that, as a consequence, a significant part of the data was corrupted.” Duque also explained that “getting a technical forensic cybersecurity report from a specialized company” would “not be difficult for them” because “money is not lacking, and money buys almost everything.”

“Since the data was corrupted, it does not reflect with certainty and veracity the will expressed, which would administratively and legally justify that the bulletins issued by the CNE were based on information corrupted by the 'cyberattack,', freeing [CNE Chairman] Mr. [Elvis] Amoroso and the CNE rectors from legal responsibility, since there was no intention to favor one of the candidates, but rather their decision was based on unreal and corrupted figures,” Duque also argued.

Hence, the TSJ would, according to Duque: “Order the CNE to unproclaim Maduro, which would lessen national and international pressure” and “hold a new presidential election for the first half of December 2024.” This measure would allow Chavismo to regroup, “correct all flaws, shield the system, and guarantee their triumph in December.”

According to Duque, the TSJ would also order the government to guarantee the opposition the conditions and guarantees for the development of its electoral campaign and immediately release all those who were detained as a consequence of the demonstrations, which would provide social relief.

“With this decision, the TSJ plays the role of 'good cop' and 'wise man,' whose decision would immediately” leave “no reason to protest” and “remove the fraud bias” while pleasing a part of the international community, which would “give the regime four months to armor itself so that it can guarantee its victory in December.”

However, “this plan must be avoided,” Duque warned. “Edmundo Gonzalez is the president elected by the people, as evidenced by 82% of the minutes published by the courageous electoral witnesses of the democratic resistance. This result evidences an overwhelming triumph. The verdict of the people must be respected. No more cheating by the dictatorship! Free Venezuela!”