POLITICS
What has the US government said about the Venezuelan election?
Nicolas Maduro’s government is under pressure from all sides to release further information about his recent election with in the South American petro-state
The US government has taken a clear stance regarding the recent Venezuelan presidential election. The State Department has recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the rightful winner of the election.
“Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s 28 July presidential election,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.
This is despite the Venezuelan National Electoral Council’s (CNE) announcement that Maduro won the election with 5.1 million votes compared to González’s 4.4 million votes.
Earlier this week the Organisation of American States (OAS), failed to reach an agreement on creating an investigation into the election results. The organisation has been accused in the past of being a vehicle for US dominance in the Americas, especially important with Venezuela being one of the most oil-rich countries in the world.
Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico were three significant nations that did not call for the OAS investigation, but it has been reported that they are privately leaning on Maduro to give evidence in support of his victory.
“[It’s] time for the Venezuelan parties to begin discussions on a respectful, peaceful transition in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the wishes of the Venezuelan people,” Blinken continued.
Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have left the country since Maduro was first elected in 2013. This figure comes from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and represents the largest migration wave in recent Latin American history.