The headquarters of Venezuela’s opposition was ransacked by masked assailants in an escalation of violence following the disputed presidential election. Opposition leader María Corina Machado’s party reported that valuable documents and equipment were stolen, with walls spray-painted in black. The attack came after calls from various countries for proof of President Nicolás Maduro’s victory, which has been challenged by the opposition and the Biden administration.
The U.S. recognized the opposition candidate Edmundo González as the winner, discrediting the National Electoral Council’s official results. Maduro criticized the U.S. for interference in Venezuela’s politics. González, whose whereabouts are unknown, thanked the U.S. for supporting the restoration of democratic norms in Venezuela.
Maduro accused the opposition of planning an attack and ordered the armed forces to guard a neighborhood where opposition supporters were planning to gather. Venezuelan electoral authorities released an updated vote count, showing Maduro leading by 8 percentage points. The U.S., Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico are pushing for an impartial audit of the election.
Russian election monitors supported Maduro’s victory while accusing the U.S. of inciting tensions. Venezuela’s economy has been in free fall since Maduro took office in 2013, with millions fleeing the country. Oil sanctions have exacerbated the crisis, and the Biden administration may increase restrictions unless Maduro agrees to a transition.
Thousands of opposition supporters protested after the election results were announced, leading to arrests by the government. Maduro has requested an audit of the election results, but foreign observers doubt the independence of the court conducting the review. During the court session, González was absent, leading Maduro to label him the candidate of fascism. Despite challenges to the validity of the election result, Maduro remains in power, with the country facing deepening economic turmoil.
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