A Venezuelan electoral official, Juan Carlos Delpino, has raised concerns about the lack of transparency and veracity in the election results that declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner of the July 28 election. Delpino criticized alleged irregularities, including slow reporting of results from automated voting machines and the banishment of opposition volunteers. He refused to monitor the vote-counting and criticized the lack of transparency in declaring Maduro the winner, fueling doubts among Venezuelans and the international community.
Despite Maduro’s government’s claims of reelection by more than 1 million votes, doubts persist due to the opposition’s publication of what appear to be authentic tallies showing their candidate, Edmundo González, winning by a wide margin. The Venezuelan Supreme Court certified the results and accused the opposition of forging voting tallies. González, refusing to comply with an order to testify in a criminal investigation, demanded that Maduro release voting records from 30,000 machines nationwide to independently verify the results.
González and his supporter María Corina Machado have gone into hiding after the election, as security forces arrested over 2,000 individuals and cracked down on protests throughout Venezuela. The opposition has called for Venezuelans to protest on the one-month anniversary of the election to demand a recount. Grieving mothers of detainees outside a high-security prison protested their loved ones’ arrests, claiming they were unfairly detained while not participating in any demonstrations against Maduro.
Delpino’s letter also highlighted irregular decisions by the CNE, such as a lack of meetings prior to the vote that made it difficult to set clear rules for the election. The opposition continues to resist Maduro’s victory claims, calling for transparency, accountability, and democratic processes. Poll workers, international observers, and millions of Venezuelans living abroad have faced challenges in participating in the election due to logistical issues and lack of meetings to set clear guidelines.
The Venezuelan electoral crisis continues to escalate as both Maduro’s government and the opposition stand by their conflicting election results. The lack of transparency and veracity in the election process has fueled doubts among Venezuelans and the international community, leading to protests, arrests, and calls for a recount. Delpino’s denouncement of irregularities sheds light on the challenges faced by opposition parties, election officials, and voters in a country torn between competing claims of electoral legitimacy. The future of Venezuela hangs in the balance as the struggle for democracy and political stability unfolds amidst a climate of uncertainty and suspicion.
