Venezuela - July 2024

On 28 July, Venezuela held presidential elections. According to the National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, CNE), a Maduro-allied body, incumbent Nicolas Maduro was re-elected with 51 per cent of votes, with the Unitary Platform’s candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, obtaining 44 per cent of votes. Voter turnout was 59 per cent. The CNE did not substantiate the results and did not make electoral records public. All ten candidates running in the election were men. Maria Corina Machado, who had received overwhelming support during last year’s primary elections, had been banned from running for the opposition’s Unitary Platform. The opposition claimed fraud and stated their electoral records showed the Unitary Platform candidate had won the election. Electoral observers, leaders within the region and other analysts have cast doubt on the results, as these have not been made public.

Sources: Transparencia Electoral, Deutche Welle, InfoBae (1), International IDEA, Infobae (2)

The 28 July presidential election was marred with irregularities, and opposition leaders have claimed there was fraud. Numerous hurdles to the participation of opposition candidates included a ban against the winner of the opposition primaries, Maria Corina Machado, as well as Corina Yoris. Members of the Venezuelan diaspora further faced obstacles to register to vote from abroad, as officials demanded requirements not established in law. The National Electoral Council (CNE), a Maduro-friendly body, claimed the incumbent had been re-elected, despite showing no electoral records to substantiate the results. Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the results, decrying fraud. According to the top Prosecutor’s office, at least 1,000 people were detained in the context of protests, for allegedly turning to violence.

Sources: France 24, Infobae, International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), Deutsche Welle