United States and ten other Latin American countries dismissed the decision of the Electoral Chamber of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) this Friday, which upheld the re-election of Nicolás Maduro announced on July 29 by the National Electoral Council (CNE).
In a joint statement, Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay emphasized the necessity of "an impartial and independent audit of the votes" to ensure the integrity of the electoral results and respect the "sovereign popular will."
Meanwhile, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took a more cautious stance, stating in a press conference that he would wait for the publication of the records before making a judgment on the contested results validated by the TSJ.
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, declared that the EU would not recognize Maduro's re-election without verifying concrete and reliable results. "We are trying to get the 27 [EU members] to take a position. If not now, then at the next foreign ministers' council," Borrell added.
The UN Fact-Finding Mission investigating human rights violations in Venezuela also highlighted the lack of independence and impartiality of the CNE and TSJ. Marta Valiñas, the mission's president, pointed out the "undue interference" of the government in the TSJ's decisions.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric, Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou, and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña were among the first to reject the TSJ ruling, criticizing the lack of transparency and evident fraud in the electoral process.
On the previous day, the TSJ, a body of magistrates controlled by Chavismo, confirmed the CNE's results of the July 28 elections, which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner in a contest marred by irregularities and labeled as fraud by a significant part of the Venezuelan and international community.
"This chamber declares, based on the expertise carried out and the report prepared by national and international experts, the unquestionable validity of the audited electoral material and validates the presidential election results," said the TSJ president, Caryslia Rodríguez.
A preliminary UN report on the Venezuelan elections last week noted severe irregularities in the electoral process. Among the most notable criticisms, the document highlights that "announcing the election result without publishing its details or disclosing tabulated results to the candidates is unprecedented in contemporary democratic elections."
Key Issues Surrounding Venezuelan Election Controversy
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to provide further clarity on the current situation regarding the Venezuelan elections and the international response.
Why did the U.S. and other Latin American countries reject the TSJ's ruling?
The U.S. and other Latin American countries rejected the TSJ's ruling due to concerns over the integrity and transparency of the electoral process, which they believe was marred by fraud and irregularities.
What did the joint statement from the 10 Latin American countries demand?
The joint statement called for an impartial and independent audit of the votes to ensure the integrity of the electoral results and respect the sovereign popular will.
What was the stance of the European Union on Maduro’s re-election?
The European Union, represented by Josep Borrell, stated that it would not recognize Maduro's re-election without verifying concrete and reliable results.