Protests broke out in several Venezuelan cities on Monday after authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro was officially declared the winner of the presidential race by the regional electoral commission.
Source: CNN
Details: In the capital Caracas, security forces used tear gas to disperse a large crowd of protesters.
Because of Maduro’s victory, people took to the capital’s main road, banging pots and pans.
Venezuelan human rights organization PROVEA said armed groups supporting Maduro were shooting at peaceful demonstrators.
Protests were also reported in other cities, including Maracay, where opposition activist Estefania Natera said people took to the streets “to shout and demand the truth be told because we know the real results.” In the coastal state of Falcon, demonstrators toppled a statue of Maduro, according to a video on social media.
The next 24 hours will be crucial to see how Maduro responds to the allegations against him. Analysts say that a new wave of unrest may arise in the country if protests against the regime become widespread. The military suppressed street demonstrations in previous years, which has long supported Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez.
Maduro was all smiles as he entered the National Electoral Council before Monday’s ceremony in which he was declared the winner. The National Electoral Council, made up of Maduro’s allies, has yet to release the final results of Sunday’s election.
The vote was riddled with allegations of misconduct. In particular, witnesses from the opposition were denied access to the headquarters of the National Election Council during the counting of votes, and the election commission allegedly prevented the processing of more votes. The government has also been accused of falsifying past voting results, which it has denied.
Maduro’s government controls nearly all state institutions, including the National Electoral Commission (CNE), which in 2017 was accused by a software company that provided voting technology of manipulating voter turnout data. The CNE previously denied the claim.
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