Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has intensified his response to ongoing protests by accusing opposition leader María Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia of instigating “criminal violence.” This move comes as Venezuelans took to the streets for a second consecutive day, protesting what they claim is a fraudulent election.
Protesters are demanding the release of voting data from the contentious election held on Sunday, which Maduro claims to have won. The unrest has resulted in at least 16 deaths across Venezuela, including one soldier, according to human rights group Foro Penal and hospital reports.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly and a close ally of Maduro, has called for the arrest of Machado and González, labeling them as “fascists” and declaring that the government will not negotiate with them. Rodríguez’s statements mark a significant escalation in the government’s crackdown on dissent.
The situation deteriorated further on Tuesday when masked individuals forcibly abducted opposition leader Freddy Superlano and two members of his team in Caracas. This incident adds to the already volatile environment as Maduro’s government continues to resist calls for transparency.
Amid these tensions, Machado and González have criticized the government’s refusal to acknowledge their claims of electoral fraud. Machado, addressing a crowd outside the U.N. mission in Caracas, declared, “We will defend every vote, and we will make sure the regime recognizes what the whole world knows.” She insisted that González is the rightful winner of the election, urging supporters to remain peaceful.
González, in a message to the armed forces, called for an end to the repression of peaceful protests. “There is no reason to repress the people of Venezuela,” he said, emphasizing the need for the military to respect the will of the voters.
The protests have seen thousands of Venezuelans—many from once-supportive working-class neighborhoods—marching through the capital. Some protesters carried receipts and voting records, which they claim demonstrate González’s victory. A large banner waved by supporters read, “Let’s go with the truth and without violence,” reflecting the sentiment of many who feel disenfranchised by the current regime.
In response to Maduro’s electoral claims, independent analyses have contradicted the official results. A Caracas-based group, using a sample from 971 voting centers, estimated González received 66% of the vote compared to Maduro’s 31%. Additionally, Edison Research, which surveyed 6,846 voters at 100 polling sites, found similar results.
Calls for Maduro to release the voting records have been supported by the U.S. and several Latin American countries. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “How do you resolve this dispute? Presenting the voting records.”
However, Maduro’s allies—including Russia, China, and a handful of Latin American nations—continue to support his regime. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, protests have escalated, with demonstrators clashing with security forces. The National Guard responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, leading to further injuries and arrests.
Amid the turmoil, Venezuelan authorities have ramped up security measures, and pro-government groups have been accused of obstructing opposition rallies. The government’s aggressive stance and the international community’s divided response highlight the deepening crisis in Venezuela.
As protests continue, Maduro remains defiant, promising to “face these situations and defeat the violent ones.” The ongoing unrest reflects the broader struggle for democracy and transparency in a country plagued by political and economic turmoil.
This is so sad and what we here in the USA will end up like if our voting system is not sanitized of non eligible voters and voting fraud. The dems seem to not care as their owned media continues to spew outright lies about the Republican party and Trump and this is what creates the mistrust of our so called most secure voting systems ever. I volunteer at voting times and have seen the issues in just our small part of the country. WE need to, as a country start removing the money from politics and term limit our representatives as so many go into politics with little and come out with millions.