Every authoritarian state is watching to see how the free world responds. If we respond with weakness, our adversaries will become even more emboldened.
Nicolas Maduro – the socialist dictator of Venezuela – is attempting to steal the election.
Every single poll leading up to the election showed Maduro on track to lose by a massive margin. Not the small margins we see in most elections.
Not 5%
Not 10%.
No, he was set to lose by between 30-40 points.
An exit poll of voters conducted by Edison Research – a reputable firm – found 65% saying they voted for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, compared to just 31% who said they voted for Maduro.
The Venezuelan regime even inadvertently showed how badly they were trailing when the election council posted graphs showing Maduro – in red – trailing the opposition:
https://twitter.com/DanielDiMartino/status/1817762165350117796
International monitors were not allowed to see the counting of votes, no official vote count (as in detailed vote totals from various areas of the country) has been released, and there were many reports of polling stations being shut down and access to ballot boxes being denied.
Initial data showed a massive opposition lead until the central election website went down:
(Translation):
“These are the data that we managed with Maria Corina Machado’s command until the regime decided to cut off data transmission from the CNE.
The difference is so abysmal that it is impossible for them to even draw a result, which is why even the CNE page is still down.”
Estos son los datos que manejábamos con el comando de Maria Corina Machado hasta que el régimen decidió cortar la transmisión de datos desde el CNE.
La diferencia es tan abismal que se les hace imposible incluso dibujar un resultado, por eso hasta la página del CNE sigue caída. pic.twitter.com/TBDeWQa3zd
— Agustín Antonetti (@agusantonetti) July 29, 2024
And so, it came as little surprise when – after such a non-transparent process – Maduro simply declared victory.
The government released ‘official’ results showing Maduro with 51.2% of the vote, and the opposition with 44.2%.
But look at all the other parties. Strangely, the official numbers showed 7 other parties winning 4.6% of the vote.
Not only is that incredibly unlikely, it is also impossible, given that all the numbers added up would equal about 140%:
There’s some other parties also all weirdly tied at 4.6% pic.twitter.com/jbikTBcrPi
— ⍼ John Nicholson ⍼ (@Lost_Signal) July 29, 2024
In response to the obvious theft of the election by Maduro, leaders across the world – including in South America – have denounced the denial of the will of the Venezuelan People:
“New statement by Milei: “We don’t recognize fraud. We call on the international community to unite to restore the rule of law in Venezuela, and we remind the Venezuelan people that the doors of our country are open to every man who chooses to live in freedom”
New statement by Milei:
“We don’t recognize fraud. We call on the international community to unite to restore the rule of law in Venezuela, and we remind the Venezuelan people that the doors of our country are open to every man who chooses to live in freedom”
🇦🇷🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/WYhF3O0Ns9
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 29, 2024
Amazingly, even Gabriel Boric the far-left President of Chile – denounced the Maduro regime. This is quite notable, as it shows that people across the political spectrum can see how democracy was denied in Venezuela:
(Translation):
“The Maduro regime must understand that the results it publishes are difficult to believe. The international community and especially the Venezuelan people, including the millions of Venezuelans in exile, demand total transparency of the minutes and the process, and that international observers not committed to the government account for the veracity of the results.
From Chile we will not recognize any result that is not verifiable.”
El régimen de Maduro debe entender que los resultados que publica son difíciles de creer. La comunidad internacional y sobre todo el pueblo venezolano, incluyendo a los millones de venezolanos en el exilio, exigimos total transparencia de las actas y el proceso, y que veedores…
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) July 29, 2024
Of course, the world’s top authoritarian regimes were quick to praise Maduro, which really says it all about what’s going on here:
https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1817926697947193583
Many Venezuelans are bravely fighting for their freedom and their democracy, with groups now pulling down statues of former dictator Hugo Chavez:
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1818012983194517897
With Maduro vowing to stay in power, and the Opposition claiming – rightfully – that they are the winners and the legitimate government, the free world must maximize the pressure on the Venezuelan regime to release the real results and effect an orderly transition of power.
Venezuela: the situation is quite simple. The law requires the electoral authority to make public the tally sheets from each polling station. That has not happened. Until it happens, the only possible conclusion is that the officially declared victory of Maduro is a fraud.
— Michael Reid (@michaelreid52) July 29, 2024
Economic pressure must be heightened.
Sanctions must be imposed.
All official diplomatic ties to the current Venezuelan regime must be severed.
The Opposition must be recognized as the legitimate government.
And military assets must be moved closer to Venezuela – particularly naval and air assets.
A clear message must be sent that if Maduro uses violence to try and stay in power, free nations will not allow him to massacre his people.
Every authoritarian state is now watching to see if the free world has the will to stand up for the brave freedom-loving people of Venezuela, or if we will stand by and watch yet another dictator crush those who hope and dream for a better future.
Spencer Fernando
Photo – Twitter
