Unsurprisingly, Venezuela’s Supreme Court, which most observers consider to be subservient to the government, validated the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday despite allegations of fraud by the opposition, which considers the decision “null.”
The Court “certifies in an uncontestable manner the electoral material and validates the results of the presidential election of July 28, 2024. […] “Nicolas Maduro has been elected president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the constitutional period 2025-2031,” said its president, Caryslia Rodriguez.
It was Nicolas Maduro himself who seized the High Court of Justice (TSJ) at the beginning of August to have his victory validated.
The announcement of his re-election for a third term sparked spontaneous protests, which were brutally repressed. They left 27 dead, according to a new report from the authorities on Thursday. In addition, 192 people were injured and 2,400 arrested.
Mme Rodriguez assured that “the ballots issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE) […] are supported by the counting reports issued by each of the voting machines” and “fully coincide with the records in the databases of the national counting centres”.
Nicolas Maduro, 61, was declared the winner with 52% of the vote by the CNE, which has not, however, made public the minutes of the polling stations, saying it was the victim of computer hacking.
Such an attack is considered implausible by the opposition and many observers, who see it as a maneuver by the government to avoid disclosing the exact count. Caryslia Rodriguez, however, assured Thursday that there was “evidence of a massive cyberattack against the electoral system.”
Decision “null”, according to the opposition
According to the opposition, which has made public the minutes obtained through its scrutineers, its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the election with more than 60% of the votes. However, the president of the Parliament, Jorge Rodriguez, assured that they were “false”.
A few minutes after the Court’s decision was announced, Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia posted on the X network the words “Null” written in red. “The sovereignty of the people is not transferable. Article 5 of the Constitution,” it says below.
Even before the decision, he had addressed the judges of the high court: “No decision will replace popular sovereignty. The country and the world know your bias and, therefore, your inability to resolve the conflict; your decision will only worsen the crisis.” He had also called on Mr. Maduro to allow a “political transition” in peace.
In its ruling, the TSJ accuses Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia of “contempt” for not showing up for his summons, unlike all the other candidates, including Nicolas Maduro, and demands “sanctions.”
Attorney General Tarek William Saab said the prosecution would “deepen” its investigation into Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, in relation to the procedure already opened for “usurpation of functions.” […] and conspiracy”.
On Saturday, during an opposition demonstration, Maria Corina Machado assured that the mobilization would continue. “We will not abandon the streets. The voice of the people is respected. The whole world and all of Venezuela recognize that the elected president is Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia,” she said.
“Crude attempt to cover up fraud”
President Maduro can count on the army that the opposition hoped to rally to its cause. After having repeatedly recalled his “loyalty” to the head of state since July 28, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino estimated Thursday after the announcement of the TSJ that the “institutions were functioning” well.
A large part of the international community, including the United States, the European Union and Latin American countries, have not recognised the re-election of the socialist president.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric responded by saying that the court “is consolidating the fraud,” adding: “There is no doubt that we are facing a dictatorship that falsifies elections and represses those who think differently.”
On Thursday, an independent UN mission tasked with assessing the human rights situation in Venezuela “warned of the lack of independence and impartiality” of the Supreme Court and the CNE, highlighting their “role in the repressive apparatus of the State,” according to a message on X from the UN Human Rights Council.
“This is nothing more than a crude attempt to cover up fraud before the courts,” Juanita Goebertus, regional director of Human Rights Watch, said on X.
In Caracas, hundreds of people gathered at the call of the government for a demonstration against fascism, a term regularly used by the government to describe the opposition.