MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Machado announces ecumenic protest for Aug. 17

“The truth is in sight: Edmundo González won. Venezuela won,” Machado insisted on social media

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado announced that on “Saturday, August 17, we will take to the streets of Venezuela and the world” to protest against the alleged fraud committed by the National Electoral Council (CNE) when it announced that the incumbent Nicolás Maduro had won the July 28 elections, thus earning the right to remain in office during the 2025-2031 term.

 Machado invited Venezuelans residing both at home or abroad to demonstrate that the opposition represented by Edmundo González Urrutia had prevailed in the number of votes. Machado, who was unable to run given her disenfranchisement and therefore supported González Urrutia's candidacy, shared a video on social media inviting people to join the protests.

“Today I want to talk to you who do not recognize yourself in this Venezuela we are living, who have a family member, a very dear friend separated by distance, who are tired of living without electricity, without water of not knowing what you are going to eat; that they persecuted you for saying what you think or for writing it in your social networks, that they fired you for denouncing everything that is wrong,” she said.

She also appealed to those who “have lost someone dear to you as a result of the regime's violence,” or who have not been able to return out of fear “or because they annulled your passport,” or who were not allowed “to vote on July 28,” or who “did vote and now they intend to disregard your will” to join the mass staging.

In addition, she urged Venezuelans to print their voting certificates to carry them during the mobilization day and thus demonstrate that millions supported Gonzalez Urrutia. “Let the world see, voting records in hand, that we will not allow ourselves to be robbed. Share this image with all your Venezuelan friends because on that day we will unite inside and outside Venezuela,” Machado also noted.

“This Saturday, August 17, we will take to the streets of Venezuela and the world. Wherever there is a Venezuelan, we will be there together. Trust. This time it is different because we are different, let's shout together so that the world supports our victory and recognizes the truth and popular sovereignty,” Machado stressed in a move to lure the some 8 million Venezuelans making up the diaspora caused by the Chavista regime.

“The truth is in sight: Edmundo González won. Venezuela won. We have the minutes. So does the CNE. It is time to act accordingly. Stop the repression. Accept the will of the Venezuelan people. Assume the need for an orderly transition in Venezuela,” Machado insisted.

“Remember, we won. Venezuela won,” González Urrutia also pointed out. He also urged Maduro to stop “violence and persecutions.” The opposition insists González Urrutia won with 67% of the vote and presented as proof a website with copies of more than 80% of the scanned minutes.

After the protests that followed the CNE's announcement, Maduro's regime has repressed the opposition's rallies to demand transparency. In this scenario, Attorney General Tarek William Saab filed criminal charges against Machado.