Nicolas Maduro has secured a third term as the President of Venezuela. This outcome has sparked concerns about potential electoral fraud.
What Happened: The National Electoral Council of Venezuela declared Maduro the winner with 51% of the vote, despite multiple exit polls predicting an opposition victory, reported Reuters. Maduro’s main rival, Edmundo Gonzalez, was said to have secured 44% of the vote.
Maduro, addressing his supporters at the presidential palace, hailed his victory as a testament to peace and stability. He also pledged to initiate a “great national dialogue.”
However, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed “serious concerns” about the election results, stating that they do not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people. Blinken has called for a detailed tabulation of votes by the electoral authorities.
Despite the opposition’s allegations of electoral malpractice, the CNE has reported a 59% voter turnout. The opposition, which has been calling for change after 25 years of socialist rule, has urged the military to respect the election results.
Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk made a series of comments on Venezuela’s election developments. In one of his posts on X, he quoted a news piece representing Javier Milei, President of Argentina, stating, “Dictator Maduro, get the hell out!" Musk also captioned his post in similar lines, stating, “Shame on Dictator Maduro.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warmly congratulated his “brother” Maduro on his victory in a post on X, reaffirming Cuba’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution.
In another post, Musk highlighted a post from End Wokeness, a popular page on X, which pointed out a significant difference between exit polls and the actual election outcome. Exit polls indicated Maduro’s lead of only 31% over the opposition, but the actual result was 51.2%, highlighting a fabrication in the election results. Musk quoted it, saying, “What a travesty.”
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Why It Matters: The election in Venezuela has been closely watched by the international community. Just hours before the election, U.S. Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee for the 2024 Presidential Elections, Kamala Harris, stressed the importance of respecting the will of the Venezuelan people. Her comments came amid concerns about potential electoral fraud.
Maduro’s victory, despite the opposition’s allegations, is likely to further strain the already tense relations between Venezuela and the United States.
Image Via Shutterstock
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
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