Protests erupted across Venezuela, with police deploying tear gas in the capital Caracas, as the opposition claimed to possess evidence of a voting tally indicating their victory in a weekend election that was instead awarded to the long-standing socialist President Nicolas Maduro. The demonstrations commenced following the election board's announcement on Monday that Maduro had secured a third term with 51% of the vote, thereby extending the 'Chavista' movement's 25-year reign. However, the opposition asserted that the 73% of vote tallies they have reviewed indicate their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won decisively, garnering more than twice the votes of Maduro. Numerous Venezuelans participated in 'cacerolazos', a customary Latin American form of protest involving the clanging of pots and pans in discontent. Some protesters obstructed roads, ignited fires, and hurled petrol bombs at law enforcement as the unrest spread nationwide, even near the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.
A masked protester expressed, "We are weary of this government; we yearn for change. We desire freedom in Venezuela. We wish for our families to return." This sentiment reflects the recent exodus of roughly one-third of Venezuelans. Law enforcement in Caracas and Maracay utilized shields, batons, and tear gas to quell some of the protests. Many demonstrators navigated the streets on motorbikes or draped themselves in the Venezuelan flag, with some using scarves to shield their faces from tear gas. The government labels these individuals as violent instigators.
In Coro, the capital of Falcon state, protesters rejoiced and danced upon toppling a statue of the late President Hugo Chavez, Maduro's mentor who governed from 1999 to 2013. The Venezuelan Conflict Observatory, a local monitoring group, reported 187 protests in 20 states by 6 pm on Monday, accompanied by "numerous acts of repression and violence" perpetrated by paramilitary groups and security forces. Maduro, addressing the nation from the presidential palace, declared that his forces were maintaining peace. The armed forces have steadfastly supported him, with no indications of senior officers defecting from the government.
Maduro stated, "We have been observing all the violent acts incited by the extreme right. We've witnessed this scenario before." At least two individuals lost their lives in connection with the vote count or protests, one in the border state of Tachira and another in Maracay. Maduro, a 61-year-old former union leader and foreign minister, assumed the presidency following Chavez's demise in 2013 and was re-elected in 2018, a victory the opposition claims was fraudulent. Under his leadership, the economy has collapsed, mass migration has ensued, and relations with the West have deteriorated, leading to US and EU sanctions that have severely impacted the already faltering oil industry.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino cautioned against a recurrence of the "catastrophic events of 2014, 2017, and 2019," when waves of anti-government protests resulted in hundreds of fatalities without ousting Maduro. Independent pollsters deemed the proclamation of Maduro's victory improbable, and governments in Washington and beyond expressed skepticism over the results, calling for a comprehensive recount of votes. Argentina's President Javier Milei remarked, "Not even (Maduro) believes the electoral fraud he is celebrating." Peru demanded the departure of Venezuelan diplomats within 72 hours, citing "grave and arbitrary decisions" by the Venezuelan regime. However, political allies such as Russia and Cuba rallied behind Maduro, with President Vladimir Putin extending an open invitation to Maduro in Russia, and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel congratulating him for "cleanly and unequivocally defeating the pro-imperialist opposition."
The Organisation of American States scheduled a meeting in Washington on Wednesday to address the Venezuelan election. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was disqualified from the race but has been a key advocate for Gonzalez, called for marches on Tuesday. "My dear Venezuelans, tomorrow we unite; as a family, organized, demonstrating our resolve to ensure every vote counts and to defend the truth," she declared. The government is also orchestrating pro-Maduro rallies.
