Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Costa Rica have officially recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González as the President-elect of Venezuela, rejecting the declaration of Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the recent elections, calling it fraudulent.
Uruguayan Foreign Minister Omar Paganini stated that the evidence showing González won the majority of the votes in Venezuela's presidential election is "overwhelming." He expressed hope that "the will of the Venezuelan people will be respected."
In an urgent statement released this Friday, following the Venezuelan authorities' confirmation of Maduro's victory, Montevideo noted that despite five days passing since the elections and the hasty declaration by the National Electoral Council (CNE), the electoral authority has yet to provide proof of the actual results or allow independent audits for vote recounting. Notably, the Venezuelan opposition has commendably collected over 80% of the tally sheets, and their authenticity has not been refuted by the Chavistas. "From this recount, it is overwhelmingly clear that candidate Edmundo González received the majority of the votes," it emphasized.
Meanwhile, Argentina's Foreign Minister Diana Mondino was adamant, stating, "After several days of the official Venezuelan election results being published on http://resultadosconvzla.com, we can all confirm without a shadow of a doubt that the legitimate winner and President-elect is Edmundo González."
This Friday, the National Electoral Council of Venezuela reaffirmed that Maduro won the elections with 6,408,844 votes, representing 51.95 percent according to the entity. Following this proclamation, other Latin American governments reiterated that the result is fraudulent.
The Presidency of Ecuador released a statement asserting that "in respect of the will of the Venezuelan people, Ecuador recognizes Edmundo González as the winner of the presidential elections," while also denouncing the "evident manipulation of the electoral process results." "The old politics attempted, through fraud and irregularities, to usurp the real outcome of the vote counting process. Therefore, this recognition by Ecuador is based on respecting the legitimate will of the people of this nation, clearly expressed at the polls and upheld by the people in street mobilizations over the past few days," the statement highlighted.
Ecuador emphasized that "Respect for democracy, justice, and electoral transparency is not a matter of ideologies" but "principles." "From our standpoint, we will do everything possible to prevent the region from becoming a cradle of impunity and the theft of citizens' rights," the Ecuadorian government asserted, calling on the international community to respect the Venezuelan people's sacrifice, whose real decision is "to be free again."
Costa Rica also firmly rejected the "fraudulent proclamation" of Maduro's electoral victory. On the previous day, the United States stated, "The election data overwhelmingly demonstrates the will of the Venezuelan people: the democratic opposition candidate Edmundo González received the most votes in Sunday's election. The Venezuelans have voted, and their votes must be counted."
Peru had already recognized the opposition candidate as the winner of the elections. The people of Venezuela continue to take to the streets, demanding that the popular will be respected and that Maduro step down from power. The dictator has severed relations with the aforementioned countries and ordered the closure of their embassies.
Key Questions on Venezuela's Contested Election
Here we address some pressing questions regarding the recent controversial election in Venezuela and the international response.
Why did Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Costa Rica recognize Edmundo González as President-elect?
These countries recognized Edmundo González due to overwhelming evidence suggesting he won the majority of votes in the Venezuelan presidential election. They believe the declaration of Nicolás Maduro as the winner is fraudulent.
What was the response from Uruguay regarding the election results?
Uruguay's Foreign Minister Omar Paganini highlighted the overwhelming evidence of González's victory and expressed hope that the will of the Venezuelan people would be respected. Uruguay also criticized the CNE for not providing proof of the results or allowing independent audits.
How has Ecuador justified its recognition of González?
Ecuador justified its recognition by emphasizing the evident manipulation of the electoral process and the need to respect the legitimate will of the Venezuelan people. They stressed that this recognition is based on principles of democracy, justice, and transparency.
What actions has Nicolás Maduro taken in response to these recognitions?
Nicolás Maduro has severed diplomatic relations with the countries recognizing Edmundo González and ordered the closure of their embassies in Venezuela.