(Caracas) Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado calls on Venezuelans to “continue the fight” on the eve of the day of mobilization organized by the opposition to claim victory in the presidential election in which Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner.
“It is extremely dangerous, but here everyone must continue the fight and keep their strength,” she said in a social media interview with Venezuelan influencers based abroad.
“All that remains on the diet […] knowing oneself naked […] “Lies, repression, violence and demoralization. Demoralization is the regime’s strategy,” says the opponent who has been living in hiding for the past two weeks.
The announcement of Mr Maduro’s re-election for a third term sparked spontaneous protests, with 25 deaths, 192 injuries and 2,400 arrests according to official sources.
PHOTO LEONARDO FERNANDEZ VILORIA, EUTERS RARCHIVES
Outgoing President Nicolas Maduro
The opposition, which has so far only held one demonstration, on August 3, has called for large demonstrations on Saturday throughout Venezuela, but also in more than 300 cities abroad. At this latest demonstration, Mme Machado had arrived at the rally in a truck and left by getting on a motorcycle, quickly disappearing.
“Tomorrow is very important […] It will be a historic day […] It’s about uniting a whole country […] “We have united a country and tomorrow is the time. There is no turning back and we will go all the way together,” she added, calling for people to attend the demonstrations with their families.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) ratified Mr Maduro’s victory with 52% of the vote in early August, without providing the exact count or the minutes of the polling stations, claiming to have been the victim of computer hacking.
According to the opposition, which has made public the minutes obtained through its scrutineers, its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who had replaced Mr.me Machado, who was declared ineligible, won the presidential election with 67% of the vote, a result rejected by Mr Maduro.
PHOTO FEDERICO PARRA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia
The opposition and many observers do not believe the hacking theory, believing it to be a fabrication to avoid having to disclose the exact vote count.
Much of the international community was also skeptical after the CNE announced the official results.
“We are making progress. With each passing day, the regime is getting weaker and with each passing day, we are getting stronger. It is not true that time is on their side,” added Mr.me Machado.