Protests in Venezuela over suspicions of fraud committed by the government in Sunday’s presidential elections to give victory to Nicolás Maduro have left at least six dead and hundreds arrested in less than 24 hours. These are demonstrations that can already be considered massive, with thousands of people in the streets of the main Venezuelan cities. Most businesses have closed on Tuesday in Caracas and workers have not gone to their offices. Public transport has been reduced to a minimum service. People were trying to get provisions in case the situation of violence escalates. For the moment, President Nicolás Maduro has not given any sign of wanting to carry out a transparent vote count, despite the fact that a significant part of the international community demands it in order to recognise him as a legitimate leader.
The repression began within hours of the start of the protests. Security agents took opposition member Freddy Superlano from his home on Tuesday. He is linked to María Corina Machado, the anti-Chavez leader who managed to mobilize a significant part of the country to vote on Sunday. Human rights organizations are receiving dozens of reports of disappearances throughout Venezuela. The Attorney General, the Chavista Tarek William Saab, has said that there are 749 detainees and one officer of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) dead. Foro Penal, an organization that is very reliable with its data, speaks of six deaths in the context of the protests, for the moment.
International pressure on Maduro continues. The leaders of the United States and Brazil, Joe Biden and Lula Da Silva, were scheduled to hold a telephone conversation on Tuesday to address the Venezuelan crisis. Both nations have asked the Chavista president these days to publish all the voting records to clear up any suspicion of fraud. Lula and Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, maintain a fluid dialogue with Caracas, so they have been very tactful when asking for transparency, something on which the two leaders agree. Months ago, they used their diplomatic channels to try to convince Maduro of the need to sign a commitment to accept the results, but in the end he did not do so. The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has also joined these demands for transparency. The first to do so was the Chilean Gabriel Boric, in a much more confrontational language. According to information from Reuters, the White House is considering applying individual sanctions to Venezuelan officials involved in the electoral process.
The confrontation between Chavismo and the opposition has moved to the streets. Machado called for a demonstration attended by thousands of people and blocked several avenues in Caracas. “I have never seen so much unity. I am proud of what we have done,” said engineer Marlene Hernández, 50, prepared to receive the opposition leader, who was unable to stand in the elections after being disqualified by the courts controlled by Chavismo. When that veto was confirmed, she gave way to Edmundo González, a 74-year-old academic and diplomat who had already retired from any public office. Edmundo is the one who appeared on the ballots to face Maduro and who, according to the count of the minutes to which the opposition has access, got more than six million votes, compared to the 2.5 million of the current president. “I am hopeful, but I am worried that a new cycle of violence will begin,” said Jessica Zambrano, 47. “This is a protest of the people.”
A few hours later, Maduro called on his people to take to the streets to counter the push of opposition protesters. The security forces have been joined by collectivesgroups of armed young people on motorbikes who carry out street violence. Hugo Chávez relied on these paramilitary squads to control the neighbourhoods during his presidency. During the campaign, which has been peaceful, the colectivos were barely visible. They appeared to disrupt some of Machado’s and Edmundo’s rallies, but without causing major disturbances. Now, at this time of maximum tension, they have returned to the front line.
International observers have also openly expressed their doubts about the clarity of the electoral process. The Carter Center, which had 17 observers on the ground, has cancelled the preliminary statement it usually offers a few days after an election and its staff has left the country two days early, worried that the crisis will escalate and end up closing the airport. Copa, the main airline that connects Venezuela with the rest of the countries in the region, will cease operations as of tomorrow. The airport had been full since morning of diplomats who had come to accompany the vote and feared being trapped.
The chaos that is taking place in the country at this time has generated concern that the situation could lead to a bloodbath. The role that the army will play in these days is fundamental. The military is presumed to be loyal to Chavismo, which Chavez assured with purges in the leadership and which Maduro has preserved by giving the generals a lot of power. The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino, who days ago recognized Maduro’s victory, has said that they will guarantee “peace” in Venezuela and will not allow the calm in the country to be disturbed after “the demonstration of civility” that took place on Sunday. However, the fear of even greater repression worries everyone.
Edmundo has asked Venezuelan officials not to use force against protesters: “We urge the security forces and our Armed Forces to respect the will of the Venezuelan people expressed on July 28 and to stop the repression of peaceful demonstrations. You know what happened on Sunday. Fulfill your oath. The Constitution is above all. Venezuelans want peace and respect for the popular will.”
Follow all the information from El PAÍS América on Facebook and Xor in our weekly newsletter.
