Venezuela: Electoral Authority Formally Declares Maduro Victory

By Andreína Chávez Alava for Venezuelanalysis

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) has formally declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of Sunday’s presidential election.

On Monday early afternoon, the Venezuelan leader received the credentials that certify his reelection from CNE President Elvis Amoroso. Maduro’s third six-year term will officially begin on January 10, 2025. 

“With the humility of a worker, of a man of the streets, I assume the mandate of the people to be their president and lead the country to peace, prosperity and national unity through dialogue,” Maduro said during a nationally televised broadcast.

The president likewise reassured that his government would counteract any coup attempts or calls for violence. “We have already lived it. On one hand, there is a people who want peace. On the other, the extreme right-wing elite.”

For his part, Amoroso reiterated that the presidential vote took place “in a climate of respect, peace and democratic participation” despite attempts to incite violence. “Venezuelans expressed their absolute will, electing Maduro as constitutional president,” he affirmed.

Sunday’s elections took place largely without incidents with millions of Venezuelans heading to the polls to choose between Maduro, his main opposition rival Edmundo González and eight other candidates.

Shortly after midnight, CNE President Amoroso presented the first bulletin and announced an “irreversible trend” in favor of Maduro with 51.2 percent of the vote against González’s 44.2 percent. The results were delivered with 80 percent of voting centers tallied. 

The other eight candidates gathered 4.5 percent of the vote combined while turnout was reported at 59 percent. The detailed electoral results are expected to be published soon on the CNE website. 

Amoroso likewise stated that the long wait for the electoral results was owed to an attack against the data transmission system that delayed the process. On Monday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced an investigation into the alleged hacking and warned against any violent agenda. 

For its part, the US-backed opposition has disputed the official results and proclaimed González’s victory. During a press conference following the CNE report, far-right leader María Corina Machado said that González won the election with 70 percent of the vote. 

Machado added that her campaign representatives have 40 percent of voting records to back up their claim but no evidence has been presented thus far.

The opposition leader said she would announce “actions” in the following “to defend the truth” and called Venezuela’s armed forces to stand “on the right side of history” and “enforce the results.” 

Washington echoed Machado’s fraud allegations and threatened actions against the Venezuelan government. On Monday, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said the US had “serious concerns”  that the electoral result does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.”

Blinken said the Biden administration would wait for the Venezuelan electoral authorities to publish the detailed tabulation of votes and share the results information with the opposition and “independent observers”. He added that the “international community” would be watching closely and “respond accordingly.” 

White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson likewise said that the US government would “hold judgment” until the announcement of detailed results. 

With both political sides claiming victory, there have been reports of disturbances in Caracas and other states across the country. In some areas of the capital, opposition supporters have staged “cacerolazos” (pot banging) in their communities.

Some social media reports have shown protesters burning tires to block main avenues and highways, with one main incident taking place on the Caracas-La Guaira highway. However, state forces have been diffusing the situation with no major confrontations registered.

Most retail and service activities did not open on Monday as a precaution.

There have also been videos from previous years’ violent opposition street protests circulating on the internet and presented as current events. 

Sunday’s election had 910 international observers from 95 countries who visited voting centers across the Caribbean nation to certify the reliability of the voting process.

On Monday, the National Lawyers Guild praised the “fairness, transparency of Venezuelan election process” and condemned “the role of the US in undermining the democratic process.”

“The delegation observed a transparent, fair voting process with scrupulous attention to legitimacy, access to the polls, and pluralism […] Their successful outcome is a triumph for the Venezuelan people,” reads the communique

For its part, the Carter Center did not relate its comments on the electoral process but said that the detailed information from polling stations was “critical” to its assessment.