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Thousands of Venezuelans are protesting against President Nicolás Maduro’s declaration of victory in the nation’s contentious election by marching towards the presidential palace in Caracas.
Some shared images of the masses on social media with the hashtags “everyone to Miraflores,” which is the address of the palace, and “knock down the dictator.”
The presidential palace is being reached by an armed military convoy, as reported by the BBC. The procession consists of automobiles with troops wearing balaclavas and huge guns on their backs.
The day after Mr Maduro declared victory, protests broke out in the Venezuelan capital, prompting police to use tear gas.
The opposition has denied that Mr. Maduro is a legitimate winner, claiming that their nominee, Edmundo González, won handily with 73.2% of the vote.
Prior to the election, surveys of public opinion predicted that the challenger would win handily.
With the nation’s economic problems causing much unrest, opposition parties banded together behind Mr. González in an attempt to remove President Maduro from office after 11 years in office.
The UN and other international organisations, together with many Western and Latin American nations, have urged the Venezuelan government to make voting data from specific polling places available.
A number of protesters waited outside in the pouring rain, yelling “Afuera” (out) and “Libertad” (freedom), while others banged pots and pans from their houses and on the streets earlier.
There were many people in the streets, tires burning on the highways, and police on motorcycles firing tear gas at the crowd.
The goal of the significant military and police presence in Caracas, along with the use of water cannons, is to attempt to scatter demonstrators and keep them from getting too close to the presidential palace.
Alongside the paramilitaries that back Mr. Maduro, there are also some groups of supporters of the man assembling.
The BBC conducted interviews with many attendees of a single demonstration in the crowded neighbourhood known as La Lucha, which translates to “the fight.”
The 41-year-old Paola Sarzalejo called the vote a “horrible, fraud.” We prevailed by 70%, yet they treated us the same way once more. Once more, they stole the elections from us.
“We want our country and our youth to have better futures.”
Miguel, her 64-year-old father, concurred, stating, “He has no right to be there right now because he lost the elections.”
He went on, “We want the youth to have a better future because if they don’t, they’ll leave the country.” one in which people may both work and profit well. He is ruining everything in our wealthy nation.
“Only elderly citizens will remain in Venezuela if the youth all depart.”
Miguel Sarzalejo, Paola, and other demonstrators
The Sarzalejos (C) are worried that Mr. Maduro would drive the majority of young people to flee Venezuela. Carlos Martinez, who was wearing a Venezuelan flag, declared that he believed the election was a “fraud.”
He said that the majority of youth in La Lucha and the neighbouring regions had participated in the election, which was especially significant for the youth demographic because “many of us are unemployed” and “the majority do not study.”
It was my first-ever voting experience. I witnessed several people mobilising on the street during my six-hour stay, which ended at around nine in the morning.
“There was a great deal of anger directed at the authorities. Most participants were doing so in order to bring about change.
Despite President Maduro’s lengthy tenure, he said that nothing had changed and that things had gotten “worse since President Chavez died.”
People wanted work and a future, according to Cristobal Martinez. By contesting the results, Mr. Maduro has accused the opposition of plotting a coup. “We have dealt with similar situations in the past,” he remarked.
He said that some elderly supporters of the administration were surviving off food handouts or bonuses, while “we want a change, we want decent jobs, and a good future for our country.”
By contesting the results, Mr. Maduro has accused the opposition of plotting a coup. “We have dealt with similar situations in the past,” he remarked.
“They are attempting to impose another fascist and counter-revolutionary coup d’état in Venezuela.”
The attorney general of Venezuela issued a warning, stating that anybody found to have blocked highways or broken any laws pertaining to disruptions during protests will face the full weight of the law. Additionally, 32 individuals were arrested on charges that ranged from damaging election documents to inciting violent actions.
The declared outcome, however, “does not track with data that we’ve received through quick count mechanisms and other sources, which suggests that the result that was announced may be at odds with how people voted,” according to top administration officials in the US.
They went on to say that was “the principal source of our concern.”
“For this reason, we are requesting the release of the supporting data from the Venezuelan electoral authorities behind the numbers they have made public.”
The US hasn’t yet made a decision about the implications of the outcome for their sanctions against Venezuela, though. Even if they are unsure of the outcome, officials have underlined that President Maduro called an election and let one opposition candidate to be on the ballot, even though the opposition leader was not permitted to run.
