UNEXPECTEDLY: Venezuela’s Maduro Declares Victory and Third Six-Year Term After Disputed Election. “Exit polls show victory for opposition, but the president controls the elections board.”
More:
Almost immediately, residents around Caracas began banging on pots to protest the result, which was expected to be contested by the opposition with the help of its allies, including the U.S. At the same time, Maduro loyalists gathered outside the Miraflores presidential palace to celebrate the win with a concert.
“What a beautiful day we’ve lived,” Maduro told the crowd from a stage where he also danced to reggaeton music. “Thanks for giving me this victory that the people so deserve. This is the triumph of the ideals of equality.”
Maduro’s continued hold on power in oil-rich Venezuela is likely to make it harder for the U.S. and its allies to resume normal diplomatic relations and fully lift sanctions leveled against the regime for human-rights abuses and corruption. That could prolong an economic crisis that has led to the exodus of nearly eight million people during Maduro’s rule, with many settling in the U.S. and other Latin American countries.
The result is also a blow to the Biden administration, which had offered concessions in recent months in exchange for commitments to hold free elections, but instead saw Maduro tighten his grip.
Not everyone in the Biden-Harris administration felt the blow:
The United States stands with the people of Venezuela who expressed their voice in today’s historic presidential election. The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected. Despite the many challenges, we will continue to work toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure…
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 28, 2024
Yet another dreadful preview of what a Harris administration would be like.