The announcement of President Nicolas Maduro winning a third term in Venezuelan elections has sparked reactions, highlighting global divisions. While Venezuela’s electoral authority declared Maduro the winner with 51 percent of the vote, the opposition, led by retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, claims their candidate received about 70 percent. The official voting tallies from the country’s 30,000 polling centers have not been released, hindering the opposition’s ability to verify the results.
Various countries have voiced concerns over the election results. The United States expressed serious concerns that the outcome does not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people and called for a fair and transparent counting of all votes. The United Kingdom and the European Union also called for a swift and transparent publication of the full results to ensure the outcome reflects the people’s votes. Brazil and Chile demanded impartial verification of the results to uphold the principle of popular sovereignty and ensure transparency in the electoral process.
On the other hand, countries like Russia, China, and Cuba extended their congratulations to Maduro on his re-election. Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela and pledged to continue collaboration on bilateral and international issues. China praised Venezuela for smoothly holding its presidential election and expressed readiness to enhance their strategic partnership. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel hailed Maduro’s victory as a triumph of the Bolivarian and Chavista people and expressed solidarity with the Revolution.
In contrast, several Latin American countries, including Peru, Colombia, and Argentina, have raised concerns about irregularities and allegations of fraud in the Venezuelan election. Peru condemned the irregularities and recalled its ambassador to Venezuela for consultations, while Colombia and Argentina called for a full vote count, verification, and independent audit of the results to address doubts. Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo stressed the importance of hearing all political voices to ensure transparency and credibility in the election process.
Notably, Honduran President Xiomara Castro and Bolivian President Luis Arce sent their congratulations to Maduro, emphasizing the respect for the will of the Venezuelan people and the strengthening of friendship, cooperation, and solidarity with Venezuela. However, the reactions to Maduro’s re-election highlight the stark divisions among countries regarding the legitimacy of the election results and the need for transparency and verification to uphold democratic principles and ensure the will of the Venezuelan people is respected.
