Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado insisted Thursday that the United States should recognize Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate winner of the July 28 elections at which the incumbent Nicolás Maduro claims to have prevailed despite producing no evidence to support these allegations other than a declaration from the pro-Government National Electoral Council (CNE) and a ruling validating it from the subservient electoral branch of the Supreme Court (TSJ).
Venezuela's disenfranchised opposition leader María Corina Machado, who endorses Edmundo González Urrutia's candidacy for the July 28 elections, said early Wednesday that the Nicolás Maduro regime had abducted her security team chief Milcíades Ávila and his whereabouts were unknown.
Leaders of the world's seven largest economies gathered at the exclusive Italian resort of Borgo Egnazia Friday and urged the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro to hold free and fair elections on July 28, which would entail allowing foreign observers to participate in the process. They also asked Caracas not to escalate the conflict with Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado of the Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD), who has been banned from running in this year's July 28 presidential elections, Friday told her followers that they should vote for Historian Corina Yoris, who is the ideal candidate to circumvent her unlawful, totally unconstitutional and coward disenfranchisement until 2036.
The European Union and a group of Latin American governments that have kept a moderate line on Venezuela called on Thursday for democratic and fresh elections, during a meeting held in Montevideo. The EU-backed International Contact Group on Venezuela said overly forceful intervention could aggravate the crisis.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro escalated his country's conflict with Colombia Friday by expanding the partial closure of their shared border to four new frontier towns. However most political analysts believe there is a huge premeditated interest in arising strong nationalistic feelings ahead of the December legislative elections.
Venezuelan election officials rejected a high-profile opposition leader's attempt to register as a candidate Monday for upcoming congressional elections. Former congresswoman Maria Corina Machado announced that the National Elections Council had rejected her attempt to register to run in the Dec. 6 elections and called it a grotesque violation of her rights.
The Venezuelan opposition on Thursday challenged the results of last month's presidential poll won by the late Hugo Chavez's successor, further muddying an already messy transition to life without the divisive leader. The formal challenge was done with the Supreme Court, despite allegations the tribunal is loaded with pro-Chavez judges and certain to reject the challenge.
When the last tanks rumbled past and the massive civil-military parade with display of state of the art missile launchers had come to an end in early Friday night of Caracas, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro could sigh in relief because his last twenty four hours had been really hectic.
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, CNE said on Thursday it would audit votes cast in weekend presidential elections after an opposition challenge to the victory accorded to President-elect Nicolas Maduro.