U.S. Signals Readiness to Recognize Edmundo González as Venezuela's President-Elect
The Biden administration appears poised to officially recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González as the president-elect of Venezuela. This comes after the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America, Brian Nichols, declared that González won the presidential election by millions of votes over the incumbent Nicolas Maduro.
U.S. Diplomatic Stance
During an emergency meeting of the Organization of the American States (OAS), Brian Nichols, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, emphasized the overwhelming evidence supporting González's victory. He urged the international community to acknowledge González as the winner to prevent Maduro from perpetrating a massive fraud. “Given the overwhelming evidence obtained by documented proof of millions of votes cast, Maduro and his representatives should recognize Edmundo González as the winner of the July 28 presidential election,” Nichols stated.
Controversial Election Results
The Venezuelan electoral council, controlled by Maduro, declared him the winner with 51.2% of the votes, despite credible polling suggesting González's substantial lead. This declaration has sparked widespread turmoil, with Maduro's forces cracking down on protesters and arresting opposition members. At least 12 people have died, and hundreds have been detained in the unrest that followed the election.
U.S. Response
The Biden administration had initially withheld judgment, urging the Venezuelan electoral council to publish a detailed vote tabulation. However, Maduro claimed the system had been hacked, preventing the release of voting records. Instead, he requested the Supreme Court to audit the results, a move seen by experts as an attempt to bypass transparency.
Opposition's Evidence
In response, the opposition published a database online with scanned images of printouts, known as "actas," verifying 80% of the vote. These printouts, generated by each voting machine, provide a paper tally of votes in addition to digital results. According to this data, González secured 67% of the votes, while Maduro received only 30%.
Nichols referred to this paper trail as indisputable evidence of Maduro's loss. “With the irrefutable evidence based on the actas everyone can see, it is clear that Edmundo González Urrutia defeated Nicolas Maduro by millions of votes,” he asserted. Even if Maduro had won all remaining precincts, he could not surpass González’s vote total, Nichols noted.
International Reaction
The OAS meeting did not result in a resolution calling on the Venezuelan government to release the detailed vote tabulation, as several countries abstained or were absent. This highlights the deep divisions and waning U.S. influence in the region, where democracy has been eroding in recent years.
Some Caribbean countries, benefiting from oil sent by Maduro through the Petrocaribe initiative, have consistently opposed efforts to pressure Venezuela in the OAS. Experts from the Atlantic Council suggest that Brazil and Colombia's abstention might indicate their governments are positioning themselves as credible mediators for a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela. However, skepticism remains regarding the likelihood of these leftist-led nations aiding the U.S. in convincing Maduro to step down.
Conclusion
The U.S. is moving towards recognizing Edmundo González as Venezuela's rightful president following the contested election. With significant evidence backing González's victory and international scrutiny on the election process, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining Venezuela's political future and the international community's response.
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