U.S. Declares Venezuelan Opposition Leader Won Election Against Maduro

The United States government announced on Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia won the recent presidential election against socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro. This declaration comes amid widespread protests, with at least 17 people killed and hundreds arrested, challenging the legitimacy of the election.

More than 12 million Venezuelans participated in the election, overseen by the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE). Despite this, the U.S. State Department criticized the CNE's rapid declaration of Maduro as the winner, citing a lack of supporting evidence. The CNE has yet to release detailed voting data or vote tally sheets, despite international demands for transparency.

Independent watchdogs and international observers have condemned the CNE's refusal to provide precinct-level results and noted numerous voting irregularities, undermining the council's credibility. In contrast, the democratic opposition published over 80 percent of tally sheets from polling stations, showing that Urrutia won by an insurmountable margin.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, "Those tally sheets indicate that Edmundo González Urrutia received the most votes in this election by an insurmountable margin." He further noted that independent observers corroborated these findings, which were supported by exit polls and quick counts.

In the days following the election, Blinken revealed that consultations with international partners confirmed that no country concluded Maduro received the most votes. He emphasized the "overwhelming evidence" of Maduro's loss and called for a peaceful transition in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the people's wishes.

"We fully support the process of re-establishing democratic norms in Venezuela and stand ready to consider ways to bolster it jointly with our international partners," Blinken added.

This announcement marks a critical moment in Venezuela's political landscape, with the international community closely watching how the situation unfolds. The U.S. has reiterated its commitment to supporting Venezuela's democratic transition and working with global allies to ensure the will of the Venezuelan people is respected.

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