• Protests across Venezuela as election dispute goes on
• Nicolás Maduro claims victory in his bid for a third six-year term, but tallies show Gonzalez winning by a significant margin
• Protesters have been calling for Maduro to step down
• The EU, the US, and several Latin American countries have refused to recognise Maduro’s victory

Protests across Venezuela as election dispute goes on

Venezuelans have taken to the streets to protest Nicolás Maduro’s contested presidential election win. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, who had been in hiding after being accused of insurrection, joined the protests in Caracas, urging supporters not to be afraid and emphasising that the people’s voice should be heard. 

Despite a heavy police and military presence, opposition supporters continued their demonstrations, waving election records as evidence of their claimed victory. Machado, who was barred from running in the election, called for nationwide protests to increase pressure on Maduro to concede. 

Nicolás Maduro claims victory in his bid for a third six-year term, but the opposition, led by Edmundo Gonzalez, has released tallies showing Gonzalez winning by a significant margin.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado organized another giant protest in Caracas today against Maduro trying to steal the election.

She says she doesn’t want new elections, just for the actual election result to be honored pic.twitter.com/xfPL56eBMZ

— Geopolitical Kid (@Geopoliticalkid) August 18, 2024

Since the election, Venezuela has seen a surge in anti-government protests, with over 2,400 people arrested by security forces loyal to Maduro. Demonstrations have also spread globally, with protests held in countries such as Spain, the UK, Canada, and Argentina.

The UN has condemned the government’s harsh crackdown on both street protests and social media criticism.

The European Union, the United States, and several Latin American countries have refused to recognise Maduro’s victory.